


Late Fees

by AndeliaMaddock



Category: Fallout (Video Games), Fallout: New Vegas
Genre: AU, Age Difference, Alcohol, Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Anal Sex, Cannibalism, Drug Use, F/F, Internalized Homophobia, M/M, Mindplay, Multi, Oral Sex, Recovery, Slow Burn, Smoking, Strip Dice, Suicidal Ideation, Torture, descriptions of violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-23
Updated: 2017-06-24
Packaged: 2018-11-18 05:42:29
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 21
Words: 75,533
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11284857
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AndeliaMaddock/pseuds/AndeliaMaddock
Summary: Benny finally caught the escaped courier after weeks of brutal Mojave living. Of course, it was while drunk off his ass and eating eggs in a shitty empty bar, but who cares about the how and why if the results are what he wanted?What matters is that he played his cards right and he won. This is how he tells it.





	1. Boulder City

**Author's Note:**

  * For [TinyFakeFanficRock](https://archiveofourown.org/users/TinyFakeFanficRock/gifts).



> Trigger Warnings: Alcohol, and a lot of it. Smoking. Mentions of graphic violence. Unhealthy coping mechanisms. Lots of southern drawl from a sassy man. Sex between Benny and that sassy man. Avert your eyes to the horror. 
> 
> A massive thank you for TinyFakeFanficRock for editing with me during this wild ride and listening to all my utter nonsense ideas then encouraging me to use them here.
> 
> ~~AU where Benny doesn't intercept the Courier in Goodsprings, so he begins to follow the guy. This isn't as easy as he'd hoped.~~
> 
> Additionally, Cass/Veronica is a pairing that is definitely what's going on, and it is hinted at throughout the entire thing. But, as this story is told entirely through Benny POV or people telling stories to Benny, it's not explicit within the work.

He slammed back another shot of whiskey, then wiped the remnants off on the back of his hand. Oh, sure, sure, he preferred a good scotch, something aged and well-preserved. A remnant from a time far before he was even thought of. But whiskey did in a pinch, and he wasn't the type to complain about a strong booze, so long as it got the job done.

"You look like you're having a bad time of it, friend. I'm a good listener if you need it."

So was every two-bit bartender this side of the river. He sighed into the bottom of his four shot glasses. Idly, he arranged them into a loose square. He didn't look up at the balding head, with little tendrils of hair plastered over skin to keep up pretensions of hair. He didn't pay any mind to the ridiculous large mustache. He tapped the table, "How's about you just lay another round out."

"I'd love to."

Of course, the 'but' hung as clear as his own failure, even if neither said as much. He sighed and glanced up, finally paid a bit of attention to the guy before him. "But what?"

"We do tabs, and I'm sure you can pay, so perhaps..."

Ah. Caps. It made sense. Normally he wasn't so lost as to forget to pay upfront, so there the shame was on him. Wasn't everything though? He chuckled, as though one of them had told a wry joke, and slapped down a bag of caps.

Mike, or whatever the bartender had introduced himself as, counted through the caps, offered a nod and a wide smile, and poured out another shot. "There you go. Now, since it's just me and you, why not let loose what's got you down?"

There was a saying about loose lips. He'd learned it a few years back when everything was bright and new and exciting. When the world made enough sense for him to bother planning for a future.

He shook his head and pulled up another shot. "You keep pouring and I'll keep paying."

"Sure, sure. Well, you know, I'm glad to see you."

He blinked, glanced up, and felt one hand twitch with a need for either his trusty gun or another smoke. Not that he had any more smokes. He'd run out days ago, and been left to the mercy of nicotine withdrawal coupled with everything else going on. Finally, he felt a heavy swallow and managed to say a quiet, "Come again?"

"Anyone, really, but you seem a nice sort. You've got a good look to you, at any rate. Still, looks like you hit a bad bit of luck, maybe at the casinos?" The bartender leaned in, elbows thick on the bar counter.

He choked on a laugh, then slapped the counter and let the laughter fully break through. Bad luck in the casinos? "Something like that."

The man nodded and began to wipe down the shots glasses between them. "I see it all the time, unfortunately." He set down the first one and moved onto the one to the right.

"Do you? This place seems pretty empty. How often do failed gamblers roll on in through that door?"

That got a huff, though the man tried to hide it with a smile behind that thick mustache. "Often enough in the past. Not lately, not with that quarry problem."

Everyone always wanted to talk about their issues. Powder Gangers this, Legion that. Still, he didn't have anything better to listen to. "What quarry problem?"

"No one can get into Quarry Junction, on account of those deathclaws that wander the place. With no workers in the quarry, there's no one left in town but me. Well, and those NCR that come to pay respects nearby."

"And let me guess. NCR doesn't have the manpower to go in and fix things? They don't even try, do they?"

"It's not their problem. Well, don't tell them I said it, but it will be if those deathclaws are left to make their numbers bigger, and if they can't use our concrete to make more bunkers along key areas."

He nodded. He tapped the counter and downed another shot when it came to him. "No, it's not their problem. None of it's their problem, don't you know? Primm, that town was overrun, NCR right across the way. They didn't lift a damn finger. And Nipton..." He shut his eyes. Nipton.

He'd been in firefights, Hell, that used to be one of his favorite things when he was on the road all the time. It wasn't that he enjoyed them, it was that when you were in enough, the adrenaline rush became something of an addiction. He hadn't been able to smoke as much then, but he'd gotten off on other things even if he didn't.

Hands tapped along the smooth wood, more unconscious than anything, but it still managed to get him another drink. Not one to ignore alcohol before him, he downed it and sighed. He leaned forward a bit and held tight to the counter.

"How about you rest on the drinks for a bit? I've got food. You look a mighty bit peckish. Can I offer you something to eat?"

A moment passed and he let all the words scramble and unscramble a few times in his head before they finally made a bit of sense. "Food? Yeah. Don't suppose you've got a nice juicy brahmin steak back there."

That got a laugh, and what's-his-name leaned right on close and shook his head. "Sorry about that, but no. You'd have to try your luck in the casinos again if you want a steak. Out here, meat's a bit more..."

He felt that half-smile he usually reserved for friends pull his lips up a bit. "So I've noticed. I like a bit of iguana too, if that's on the menu."

"I've got squirrel on a stick if you're feeling up to it, what with all those drinks in you."

Why not? He needed to eat. He didn't drink this much anymore, no matter what people said behind his back. Normally, he ate his three squares a day and smoked however much he liked and drank enough to take the edge off all his planning.

"Why not have a seat at one of the tables? That stool’s looking a bit unsteady, now that I notice it." The barkeep moved around the counter and placed a hand on his back. "Come on then, I'll get you a nice gecko egg and some squirrel."

"It's funny. I used to live high and mighty, you know?" He allowed the guy to shepherd him to the table, into a more secure seating arrangement. It was almost like he was in a restaurant again, albeit a more grimy one.

"I've had folks come in who lost it all in New Vegas. At least you left before that could happen. Plus, you've got the suit on your back, haven't you? One guy, he came in down to his skivvies. Felt so bad for him, I ended up giving him caps, even if that's a bit of a foolish thing to do."

He glanced down, and eased his hands down the front of his jacket, stroked along the thick material. It was true. He looked damn good, especially compared to everyone else around.

It shocked him a bit when a plate of food settled on down in front of him, steamy and almost appetizing. He lifted a fork, hesitated before he stabbed it into the chunks of meat and dipped it into the runny egg yolk. "It's pretty good."

It seemed like whoever fed him said something, but it was a bit distant, a bit muffled. He glanced over, and saw them behind the counter, ducking a bit, no doubt reaching for another bottle to serve a new customer.

Benny smiled loosely and played a bit with his meat and the eggy mess on his plate. "Oh, lucky day, pal. Looks like you get two customers today."

The other customer turned about, then smiled wide. "Oh, hey! I know you! Ike, get me a round for me and my friend."

"Coming right up." Ike, apparently, stood up and brought out a fresh bottle of whiskey. "Maybe you can cheer him up, he's been pretty somber for me."

The courier sat right across from him and smiled with his white teeth like for all the world there was nothing wrong. The younger man eased back in the chair and nodded. "Bad day?"

Benny blinked. "Um." Idiots talked with nothing words. He needed to push himself, say something snappy. Say something that would make sense.

"I've had a pretty weird one myself. Turns out, there were more than just a few deathclaws in the quarry. Dozens. Waaay more than I thought there might be when I first went in. Lucky me though, I was plenty prepared. Boone gave me all the sniping lessons I could want, and between the two of us, it was done." He gestured loose and big and added an easy emphasis to some of his words to punctuate his soft drawl.

Benny nodded. He choked on a few words. Of course. Of course, they hadn't only gone and cut down Legion men in Nipton, but deathclaws in a quarry too. Why would it surprise him to know that?

"That egg looks plenty tasty. I've got a few of my own coming this way soon." There was that casual soft manner of speaking, coming from someone who had twisted the neck of the frumentarii leader.

There was a disconnect there, somewhere, Benny was certain. He glanced down to his egg yolk, orange and shiny and coating the chunks of fried meat. "It's pretty decent. Could use a bit of pepper, but then, what couldn't?" He tried to match their calm smile, tried to keep it up.

"I brought a few deathclaw eggs, myself. Learned a tasty omelet recipe, decided to hand them on over to Ike there and see if he couldn't make it up for me."

A shot of whiskey appeared before him, and he dimly acknowledged Ike with a nod of his head, before he held the shot in hand and raised it up to examine it in the light.

The elusive courier raised up their whiskey as well, tapped the glass to Benny's, and downed it in a go. Their face was young, free of the wrinkles and plain worries so many older faces wore so often. Freckles dotted soft-looking tanned skin, and white teeth showed proud when they smiled. "Wanna have a taste when mine're done?"

Maybe he'd die here. Maybe they knew. Maybe a whole hell of a lot more things than he wanted to consider.

He slapped back the whiskey (six shots now?) and nodded. "I'd like that. Want a bite of mine now?"

"Oh, if you wouldn't mind it, I'd love that. Worked up a beast of an appetite picking off those deathclaws. Shame they don't work like other animals. If it were just a nest of nightstalkers or geckos, I'd just tell them to beat it and they'd skedaddle."

Benny leaned back in his chair and found himself a bit thankful Ike had herded him to a table, instead of leaving him with an open backed raised stool. "They'd listen?"

"Oh, sure, sure. You just have to know what to say, and how to say it." Seemed the courier took Benny's words to heart, because sure enough after a bit of gesturing to accompany his words, the courier picked up their own fork and pulled up a tasty orange coated bite of squirrel. "Oh, that's good. See, I never was allowed to be the cook back home. That's a woman's job they said."

"Oh?"

"No, sir. Being alone on the road, it's a bit of a challenge for me. But it's better than being in that prison."

Of course they were a prisoner. For all their nice smiles, for all their manners, they took out anyone who opposed them with ease. They were probably one of the leaders in the Powder Gangers, even if they didn't wear the outfit.

"I hate enclosed spaces, but at least this one feels real nice and comfy cozy. There aren't too many people inside, and I have a nice view of the door." The fork tinked on the wood of the table, and they smiled once more. "So, I've seen you near about everywhere. You wouldn't be headed on towards New Vegas, would you?"

"I." He pushed a bite into his mouth and chewed hard on it and his words before he finally managed a heavy swallow. "I am. I sure am."

There was that smile, somehow familiar already. "Great! I've been looking for another walking friend. Boone up and went home after helping me with those bad boys down in the quarry. I'd hate to wander on into New Vegas without someone to show me the way."

Benny glanced on over towards Ike. Seemed the guy was in the backroom, likely cooking up those eggs on a little stove or one of those portable burners. Seemed the guy probably couldn't hear a thing they said.

Benny leaned closer and put his elbows on the table. "Oh, baby, let me tell you, I know everything there is to know about that place. I could show you the works."

Those white teeth dug a bit into that bottom lip, and that damnable courier leaned in closer as well. "Is that right? You'd be able to give little ol' me a tour?"

Benny might have mistaken the tone for something besides flirtatious. He might have made that mistake, had it not been for the way a boot nudged against his ankle.

Ah. Not quite the edge he had expected, but certainly one he could work around. "Sure, Baby. But uh, maybe not so publicly right now, you dig?" He coughed and scooted back a bit as Ike rounded the corner.

Something that looked an awful lot like the playful expression broads used on him back in The Tops fluttered along those lashes and flashed in the pull of those lips.

Benny adjusted his tie a bit, loosened it. "Ike, think you might get me another helping of something? I'm starving all of a sudden."

"I'm telling you both: good friends, good drinks, good food, that's all a man needs." He took Benny's old plate and stepped towards the back room at a slow pace.

Benny didn't say a word until he was certain Ike couldn't hear.

That didn't stop the courier from looking at him all the while.

He flashed his most winning smile, complete with a wink that made all the ladies swoon. "So."

"I had my reservations, thought you might not be the sort to talk nice with guys like me. Glad I was wrong." In they leaned, so close once again. "I had a thought maybe in Nipton you'd thought bad of me when I was making those awful Legion men think twice about their actions."

"Oh, no, no, of course not. Just, between you and me, losing my friends there really took a toll." At least he didn't have to pay them. 

That got a scrunch of concentration on the courier's features. Thin brows pulled in tight, and lips pursed and shifted off to one side. "Really? Who were your friends? You don't seem the NCR type, and the only others were Powder Gangers and Nipton citizens, right?"

So this guy wasn't a Powder Ganger? Maybe they'd been in another prison, or they'd served their time? Benny wished for another whiskey, but it turned out it wasn't that simple. He scooted back in his chair and pulled loosely at his tie once more. "I was just traveling, we were just in the wrong place, wrong time. Tried to talk our way out, but that didn't work."

The courier nodded, a careful tip of their head, and aimed big sad eyes in Benny's direction. "I'm sorry. Wish I'd gone in there sooner and taken care of them. I'm glad you got out though."

Benny idly stroked at the bloody stained hole on his suit. He'd managed, sure. But he'd lost sight of his goal for a bit while he'd healed up. He'd thought it was the end, that nothing had mattered and he'd failed.

A plate landed before him with a thump. Steam burned at his cheeks and he startled back then snapped his gaze towards Ike.

"Sorry. It was a bit hotter than I expected." Ike nodded at the both of them, then turned back towards his bar. "Just give a holler when you want another drink."

That courier snuck another fork over, this time loaded with a bite of deathclaw omelet. "Here. Hope it's tasty."

What part of discretion in public did this guy not understand? But Benny opened his mouth anyway, if only because that egg looked damn tasty.

Oh god yeah. He shut his eyes and savored the flavor. "I wouldn't mind that recipe myself."

"Yeah? That good? Or are you a chef and you just like recipes?"

He never touched cooking these days. "Little bit of both, if I'm being honest here, baby." Too quick, he slid right back into The Tops talk, right back into things that could get him found out when he took that slippery little chip from the sneaky bastard in front of him.

"I'd love to see your take on it." There was that sultry little drawl again, a bit more thickly layered than some of the other sentences.

"I bet you would." This was a man. He put his own fork back down into the less appealing eggs. This was a man he was supposed to kill over a week before. The eggs were runnier this time, but he still enjoyed them, so long as he had a crusty square of bread to dip in it. Thankfully, Ike had given him one. He'd have to be careful about how he used the bread, there was only a bit to sop up all that yolk.

"So, what do you do?" There came the foot again, so gentle and pressed against his own foot. "You wear a nice suit, you must be pretty important."

Lucky Benny, the egg helped him buy some time while he considered it all. Finally, he wiped at his mouth with a square from his front jacket pocket and nodded. "Oh, I do a bit of everything off in New Vegas. I don't put all my eggs in one basket, so to speak." Benny chuckled and poked his fork at his meal, scraped it around the plate. He felt a sting of relief when they laughed and went back to eating too. "What about you?"

"Oh, me? I do a lot of jobs. I run for the Mojave Express, and I help people out when they've got problems. You know, whatever needs done. Hey, maybe we'll work together after I finish this job? I kind of wanna stick around New Vegas and see what a sight the sites are." A goofy look blossomed on the courier's face.

"How about you tell me about the Express?"

"Oh, what's to tell? They pay a pretty decent rate of whatever they get paid. Work's good." Another mouthful, another eggy smile.

Benny thumbed Maria in his pocket and glanced over towards Ike. The guy seemed busy cleaning things up, didn't seem to pay them any mind while they chatted. But types like that, people who never saw customers, they definitely paid attention.

He needed to stop, to keep from playing his cards. A part of him knew that.

Another part knew he was six (or more?) shots in and all the eggs in the world couldn't make him sober as quick as he wanted. That's what he got for folding when he should have raised.

Benny glanced back over to Ike. Mister, I won't tell anyone. Mister, don't tell the NCR I said that. He grinned and felt a hand shake a bit in a silent request for a smoke. He'd get one soon enough; he'd have everything he ever wanted.

"Kid, hows about you and me head on outside and talk a bit after that egg?"

"Yeah? I'd like that."

Up Benny went, steady despite how his blood surged with more alcohol than usual. He had something on his side now and it was confidence. With a swagger in his steps, he walked out the door.

\---~~~---

"I'm Lee, by the way." Abrupt, they pushed their hand out, ready and waiting for his.

He took it, embraced how warm and soft it was. "Benny." He could at least let the guy know his name before it was all said and done.

He'd have to do it real careful like. This guy was more than a threat, but so was Benny, given a chance.

They stepped into the shake, made Benny aware he hadn't let go yet. "So, want to go on a walk? We could get to know one another better."

"Thought maybe we could go into one of these buildings. Have some privacy."

Something flashed in those green eyes.

Benny blinked, still drunk, still unsure of what all he was seeing when enough of the world wavered how it did.

"Sure! Though, maybe one of the more open ones? I like privacy and all, but it's so nice out, a bit of sunshine would do me good."

"No problems there." He finally withdrew from the hand that held his so firm and he patted them on the shoulder a moment later. One hand reached out and ticked a finger up to point at one such building. "How about there? We can talk, spend a bit of time together. After all, you should know me a bit better before we're walking friends for too long, shouldn't you?"

"Oh, sure, sure." Lee nodded to the advice, seemed to take it as sage.

Benny squeezed Lee's shoulder, then patted it real lightly in an affectionate way. A moment later, he stepped ahead, led the way towards the building. Nice and far away from the only people that were really still left in the area. NCR still stuck around the rubble, but here he'd be alone.

"I heard from someone down south a bit that they take more kindly to people like me in New Vegas. Is that true?"

"Depends on what you're like. People would like you." The city would spit him out, even if he was tough shit in a fight. Really, Benny was doing him a favor.

"People like you?" Their voice was softer here, maybe because they trailed a few feet behind, maybe from the breeze, but most likely because it held a certain clear note of uncertainty.

Benny felt something, something he had felt before giving Swank the psycho to lace his favorite singer's stash. He pushed it down and nodded. "Of course." He could almost feel the warmth of that smile against his back, but he ignored it and pushed that down too. He opened the front door and motioned for them to enter first. "After you."

"Oh, such a gentleman. They always told me that's the right sort. Well, more like, I should be a gentleman. Doubt they'd want... Never mind that." Lee hurried on in, and turned about quickly, smile reinvigorated with a vibrant energy. "So, what d'ya wanna talk about?"

Maria called. She said it would be so easy to surprise the guy. But with how wavy his vision was, he doubted she told the truth. Best to wait it out, wait until he sobered up enough to aim. Quick enough to pull the trigger before they were aware what even happened.

Would he be able to take Lee out like Swank had said after the incident? Like the old days. Could Benny tell Lee before he did it?

Maybe back in Goodsprings, where he'd had a nice hole all dug and everything. Even back in Primm he could have given them a face to face send off, in the outskirts where the NCR wouldn't see it. Anywhere before Nipton, he would have let them know what, and even why.

The guy was too dangerous, for all their southern charm and sweet soft features. There beneath that smile coiled strength and deadly precision.

Benny stepped closer, pushed one palm against old exposed brick, and his body up against Lee's. "How about we talk about the week? I'm sure you've been a busy man." He didn't have to force the sultry tones, didn't even have to pretend. Lee was a man, a dangerous one at that, but he was pretty. He was charming. Benny could enjoy that, even if this wasn't his normal type.

There was that grin and a flash of teasing green eyes before eyelashes fluttered and that face turned down. "Oh, my. I could do that I s'pose." Lips stayed parted, and a hint of tongue peeked out for a moment before Lee found more words. "How about upstairs though? I think there's a nice sofa still around up there. I've been through some of these buildings. A lot of them still have fun stuff inside."

"I'd like that."

\---~~~---

"So, tell me what you've been up to." If Lee talked for as long as Benny was sure he would, Benny would be sober and Lee would be nice and comfortable by the time it all happened.

"Alright. Well, I picked up a package in Goodsprings. Nice robot man gave it to me and shooed me on my way. 'Course, I was plenty early, so I stuck around a tiny bit and made friendly with the locals. Lotta good people in Goodsprings. People say it’s called that because of the water, but the people are the ones I'd really go back there for." Lee scooted a bit closer to Benny, then looked up over his shoulder and glanced to Benny. "You ever been?"

"Oh, maybe once or twice." Good people? Bullshit. But he held that smile. He even reached out, spread his arm behind them on the couch. "Tell me more. What happened?"


	2. Goodsprings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lee fought a deathclaw. Benny's amused.
> 
> Lee asks for a story from Benny. Benny is not amused.

"So, apparently deathclaw is not a misnomer." Lee nodded, brows pulled together in a rather sober manner.

"Oh, that's a great start to a story."

He turned just a bit, faced Benny more full on. "Well, I hadn't really seen deathclaws before, you know? And I saw all those signs posted about, paint fresher than a flower, but I had a package and I wanted to deliver it real quicklike so I'd get paid. But after about the fifth sign, I slowed myself down and realized I saw something in the distance."

"A deathclaw?"

"Now, you just hold on. You asked for a story, and I'm the one telling it, not you." Though the tone held a scolding edge, there was a grin plastered right over Lee's face.

\---~~~---

Lee sighed after yet another sign told him not to enter the area. It was almost like people wanted him out.

Thing was, sometimes signs were of a tricky sort. Bandits, raiders, whoever else, they used signs nefariously. It wasn't that Lee never listened to signs, it was that he needed to know whoever wrote the sign wasn't up to no good.

Something shifted in his stomach, pulled his attention to the moment and his surroundings. He gazed out from under the brim of his hat, focused on everything that stood out against the horizon.

In the distance, something slunk against dark reds and oranges of the desert. It looked almost small if one didn't take into account how massive it was compared to the pinprick of green cactus next to it.

Lee licked his lips and pulled out his binoculars. Carefully, he adjusted the dial and honed in on what the potential threat was.

It stood, nearly 8 feet and towering, despite the way it hunched over with its long arms and threatening claws that nearly dragged lines into the dirt. Knotted horns with clear grooves and nicks rose back from a massive head. Hands lifted and nails sharpened against one another threateningly.

\---~~~---

"So, hey you just stood there? You know they tend to run in packs, right?"

Lee blinked. His green eyes focused real heavily on Benny's browns. "Oh, I guess I didn't know that at the time. Good thing I learned it after I cleared out that quarry over yonder. But thanks for the information, I wouldn't want to remain ignorant."

Benny managed a laugh, then shrugged off the sudden monotone Lee leveled his way. "Alright, alright. So, you spied with your little eyes a deathclaw. How'd that go for you?"

"Well, Benny, I like you, I really do. But Mama taught me not to interrupt people when they're telling stories."

"She did, did she? Smart woman. Alright, got it, no more interruptions. Scout's honor." He put two fingers up near his chest, fairly certain he'd done the gesture like he'd been told all those years back.

It was almost funny how archaic expressions he didn't really understand carried on through him and the other Chairmen. He'd get rid of House, but he'd keep those smooth sayings, those statements that held so much panache and set him and his boys apart from the rest.

Lee seemed to accept it, if the nod meant anything. "Alright. Well, so there I am, faced with some big ol' beast I've never seen before."

"Never?"

Lee brought in a thick sigh before he looked in Benny's direction again. "If you want, this can be a conversation, instead of a story. But, seeing as how you were hesitant to say much of anything about your week, I figured that wouldn't be what you wanted."

He'd sober up soon, and be done with this all. Benny shook his head, "No, sorry, sorry. All that whiskey's getting to my brain. Won't happen again."

That stern face cracked, and Lee peeked through with a grin. "Uh huh. I can already tell you're going to be a handful."

"Baby, I'm more than a handful." He kept the rest of the words from spiraling out, pulling him deeper into dark territory. There were places he went for a job, and he kept considering if this was one of them. The verdict wasn't in yet. Drunk thoughts said why not? Sobering ones said... why not, if no one knows?

Lee scooted closer and a more apparent grin spread over his face and crinkled along his eyes. His breath caught at Benny's neck. It was warm but pleasant. "Is that right? Maybe when you sober up, I could find that out."

"You don't want to now?"

"I'd prefer to just finish the story, all things considered. Maybe when I don't run the risk of literally getting drunk on your kisses..." He pulled back, just an inch, but kept one leg pressed up against one of Benny's. "How 'bout this? I tell a story, you tell a story. We'll both get our words sorted out that way."

That happy pull returned to Lee's words, and Benny felt himself ease back into the musty couch a bit further. "Yeah, you got it, Baby. If I open my big mouth again before you're through, just push me, alright?"

"Uh huh." A teasing peek of teeth between those pink lips, then they pushed at him lightly on the shoulders.

"I didn't even do anything yet!" Benny chuckled though, and held up his palms, outward facing, in defeat.

"I'm just trying it out, don't mind me. So..."

\---~~~---

The deathclaw stared long at something in the distance. Its shoulders pushed back, and a moment later it let out a growl that could be heard even so far away. The head turned, and white eyes met Lee's binocular stare.

Lee let them fall down around his neck, turned, and ran back towards the sloping hill he'd come from. Used to walking the Mojave and further east, he generally didn't run. Even so, he knew when he didn't want to fight.

\---~~~---

"So, badass you goes in and takes out an entire quarry, but one blind one makes you literally head for the hills?"

"Do you want to tell this story, or what? Boy, I'll tell you something, when it's your turn to say what your week was, I'll be your own personal debater." Lee ended with a push, harder than the prior one. "Now, are you gonna behave for me, or do I have to start over again?"

No one talked to him like that. Not anymore. He shifted a bit in his seat and couldn't keep the guilty grin off his face. "Fine, fine. Go on."

\---~~~---

Lee had heard about them, of course he had. But back east he'd had the fortune to not run into them before. Legion, he'd seen aplenty, but deathclaws were something that was still relegated to a somewhat mythical status to him.

Its cries sounded behind him, sharp and loud, a clear threat. Every second, the growls grew closer.

As best as he could, he ran ahead and climbed up onto a rock that rose high like a crooked sundial against the desert. Seconds after reaching the apex, Lee looked down into an open maw.

Raised claws tore against the rocky face, but the deathclaw could find no purchase. It sharpened its claws in great arcing slashes against the rock. Sparks rained, bright bursts of light against the shadow of the massive rock.

Lee didn't like to fight animals. Normally, animals didn't seek him out either. Even bugs held their distance at worst case and assisted in the best scenarios.

He didn't have much of a choice. After ten minutes of the deathclaw slicing at rock in an attempt to get at him, he pulled out his pistol and reloaded.

It took far longer than he wanted, and he hated to watch it scream and thrash, but it just wouldn't leave and nor did it go down easy.

Finally, though, the deathclaw fell back and gave one last tremble of pain.

Only after it lay there long enough tiny flies began to dive and duck around its body, did Lee climb down.

Certain he could actually trust the newly erected signs around the town, he wandered on back towards Primm to tell Johnson Nash about the new problems along the road to Sloan and New Vegas. Normally, he'd like to meander a bit, but with such pressing concerns about how other couriers might be caught unawares like he'd been, he had to rush until he got there.

\---~~~---

Benny waited a few moments. After Lee gave a little sigh of finality to his first deathclaw kill story, he snorted and shook his head. "So hold on. You're telling me you just skipped Goodsprings entirely? Why stop there, when you could save a life or two of people who ignore signs like you, right?"

"Alright Mister Benny, now you just hold on. First of all, the people of Goodsprings are lovely and I'd already talked to most of them a while back and they didn't say word one about any deathclaws, second, I only ignore signs when I think they're written to trick me. I've been all up and down this whole stretch of land, and I've seen some signs that I just can't trust. I like people, I trust most people. But signs? That's a whole 'nother thing." Another huff and indignance pushed his chest out. Lee slumped back into the couch.

"Uh huh. Alright, so you skipped your way to Primm?"

"Well... I didn't go there directly, necessarily. But it's your story time now! What've you been up to? What brought you this way anyway?"

"I'm just here on a job."

"Here on a job? Or somewhere else? You were way off in Nipton. Was that where the job was?"

Benny craved a cigarette, but he could recall exactly when he'd last had one. Fingers twitched and pawed at his pocket anyway, as though a mystical Final Cigarette had hidden itself there in wait for this moment. Finally, though, he pulled his hand away and smoothed it over his pants, pushed out imaginary wrinkles in the material.

"If you really don't want to, you don't have to. I just figured, maybe talking about your week would help. Did business go south?"

"You could say that." Benny eased that same nervous hand back onto the couch behind Lee's shoulders. He leaned closer, until he could feel that warm breath again. It was almost a comfort.

\---~~~---

Benny flicked his still ashy cigarette butt to the rocky ground and stomped it out under his left shoe. "Any news?"

"We haven't seen anyone." Jessup strode up the hill, looked Benny right in the eyes.

He glanced between McMurphy and Jessup. "They should have been here by now." He pulled his silver lighter free from his front inner jacket pocket, then pulled out his new pack and popped out a single smoke.

McMurphy coughed, then stepped forward. "It's been hours. We've searched the whole town. If they're here, we don't know where."

"There's no pay if I don't get my way. Not a single cap." He lit the smoke and replaced his lighter in the pocket. "Search again."

"It's been hours." Jessup lifted the shovel they'd already dug a grave with and twirled the tip in freshly loosened dirt.

"Oh, I hadn't realized jobs ended when the sun went down. My mistake, gentlemen. By all means, take a nap, enjoy some of the local cuisines." He didn't pull Maria, even if his trigger finger itched to feel it like he had in that broken Fiend camp. Normally he didn't encourage bloodthirsty behavior, even in himself. This was just a stressful job and he was getting a bit testy.

Jessup didn't look at him for a few moments, he seemed more interested in the grave he'd dug an hour or so before. While waiting.

There was a lot of waiting. Yes Man had given him a specific time, a specific place. The computer couldn't lie, even if it wanted to, so what gave?

Benny flicked half his cigarette away in one motion and lifted the small bit left up to his mouth for a strong inhale. There it was. A wave of relaxation, good enough for at least a few more minutes, shuddered through him. "We'll sleep in shifts. I will get what I came here for, with or without you two."

Sleep didn't come easy.

Waking came hard. He bolted upright, and pulled at Maria, ready to draw it quick.

"Whoa, easy." McMurphy held one hand up but held the other close to his side, where Benny knew he kept his gun. "One of the locals says they spotted someone from out of town, headed out east."

"Not along the roads?"

"No."

"Of course. Around here you'd be a fool to travel alone off the road. That, or you're someone tough." Benny felt that urge to ignite, to feel the smoke pull inward and caress his lungs in a calming embrace. So early in the day and he already wanted to light up. He carefully rose, maintained his composure, and looked out towards Goodsprings instead. "Well, let's get going. Lady Luck waits for no man."

\---~~~---

"Well? Is that drink catchin' up to you, can't talk anymore?" Lee leaned up into him, nuzzled his head against Benny's shoulder.

"I was supposed to meet up with someone in Goodsprings, but they never showed up. I spent the rest of the week playing catch-up and trying to salvage what I could."

"Oh, that sounds real important. That why you wear that checked suit, even though the sun beats down real hard?" There came a tilt in his head and such a soft questioning tone.

Benny rubbed his leg up gentle like against theirs. "Sure is. I have to look good, make a nice impression. Otherwise, what's to separate me from any other guy out there?"

"Well, you made a good impression on me. In fact, I don't think I'd even think less of you if you weren't all trussed up in that fancy suit."

"Is that right?" Benny stroked long fingers against Lee's opposite shoulder, massaged it.

Lee coughed, pulled back a bit. "Maybe we should have some water? I'm feeling mighty hot right about now. I've got some in my pack." He stood, moved quickly over to his bag nestled between the couch and coffee table.

"I'm feeling pretty hot myself. I'd share a water if you've got the water to spare."


	3. Primm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lee visited a prison and set some Powder Gangers right. Or dead.
> 
> Benny learns about consent when alcohol is involved.

Benny sipped at the water, then handed it back to Lee. As the courier settled into the couch, Benny asked, "So, how'd you deal with those punks in Primm?"

"Oh, you saw them too?" He didn't startle too much, but he did eye Benny a bit. He didn't scoot so close like he'd been before.

"I did. Splayed out in death poses. Locals told me a guy in a wide hat like yours lay them out and brought law to the town. Seems like you were pretty damn busy. How'd that happen?"

Lee shrugged. "I guess I didn't like how they acted. I hadn't done a thing to them and they all kept shooting at me. All the people inside were just trying to live their lives, too. Who just shoots a bunch of people for no reason?"

"Prisoners, it sounds like."

"Well, they were wishing they were prisoners again after I was through." There came that defensive little huff again.

For a stone cold killer-- someone Benny had trailed for so long and seen the wreckage the guy was capable of-- Lee seemed a bit less threatening when his cheeks puffed pink and he squirmed at the talk of killing thugs.

Benny wrapped his arm over the back of the couch, snaked it against Lee's shoulders, and tugged them in. "So, after that got taken care of, how'd you get law on your side? NCR didn't lift a finger, did they?"

Another irritated breath, but Lee nodded and seemed to relax. Seemed Lee had a similar opinion as Benny did about how hard the NCR worked for its would-be citizens.

"Well, I guess it started with their deputy telling me there was someone locked up who used to be a sheriff."

"Nothing says golden boy like a prison record, right?"

"Yeah, I know, I know. But when I went over the bridge I got a fresh load of nothing from Hayes. So I had to do things the old-fashioned way."

"How's that?"

"By myself."

\---~~~---

"Well hey there!" He gave a wave, to let them know he was friendly and swat away a fly or two that buzzed near his head. Little ones weren't nearly as big as bloatflies, but they were twice as annoying.

The black man eyed him and waited until he was close to finally reply. "And who the hell are you?"

Well then. Lee kept that smile up though, never let it fade. "Oh, I'm Lee! I'm looking for a guy, he goes by Myers?"

"So?"

"Is he inside?"

"What's it to you? Do I look like a secretary?"

Lee tilted his head, and held his tongue for a moment, long enough to continue with that same polite accord. "Well, I've got some interest in helping him get a job. And you don't look like a secretary, but you look like the sort of man who knows everything that goes on. You look real eagle-eyed."

It got a glimmer of a smirk across those wide lips, and the guy pushed off with his shoulders from the crumbled brick wall and strode forward. "Alright, yeah. He's inside. Don't know he'd want a job. He's a real goody-two-shoes if you ask me. Wouldn't even put up a fight against the guards when it all went down. What kind of job?"

"Sheriff of Primm."

\---~~~---

"Wait, wait, hold on. Kid. Baby. Sweetie. You didn't seriously walk up to an escaped convict--"

"Benny--"

"And directly ask them--"

"Benny, so help me--"

"If they'd let you hire one of them as a sheriff."

"Are you done?"

"How in the goddamn did you manage that?"

Lee kicked his leg up onto the coffee table before them, and side-eyed Benny for a long moment. "Well, gee, y'know, I hadn't planned on telling you, but now that you asked real nice like, I guess I have to tell you."

"Alright, alright. Zipped lips, I hear you loud and clear. Just. Lay it on me. What happened?"

Lee pursed his lips, lifted his shoulders in on a sigh, then deflated. "Fine."

\---~~~---

"You mean to fuckin' tell me you want a convict to go help Primm?" The guard laughed, loud and long. "Oh, that's a fuckin' riot. Believe me, I know." That humor stretched thin and their voice shifted back to mocking. They strode around behind Lee, walking in a slow circle. "But you've got balls, guy. I like you."

"Well, that's good." Lee kept things as smooth as he could, but he couldn't help but feel the stares on his back. Fingers stretched and curled, but he kept from going for his pistol or machete. He wasn't raised to use violence first. It was a last resort.

"Normally, for a scrawny looking guy like you, someone who looks pretty worthless to Eddie, I'd say 100 caps."

Lee just kept smiling and looking forward as Dawes came back into view.

"But for you? 50 caps, and you can head on inside."

"Well, that sounds like practically a steal." And he hadn't been raised an idiot. Pressing his luck further would get bullets in someone who didn't need them right then, no matter who got shot. He smiled, pulled out the requisite caps real quick, and handed them over.

"Thank you. Head on inside. He should be the guy curled up over a cold cup of coffee. He always is. I'm honestly surprised Eddie hasn't kicked him out yet, considering he never does anything for us..." The last words seemed a bit like an afterthought, quiet and mumbled as Dawes moved back into position at the door and pressed his back against the crumbling brick wall.

Lee walked in and squinted hard to try and let his eyes adjust to the sudden darkness after the desert bright.

\---~~~---

"Ah. So, money. Got it, that makes a lot more sense."

"I could have gotten in without caps."

"Right, sure, I know. Baby, of course you could have."

There was the same squint but aimed in his direction now.

He offered an apologetic grin and wrapped an arm around their shoulders. This time, Lee didn't stand abruptly and get them both water. This time, Benny hummed satisfaction when Lee snuggled in closer.

"Anyway, I gave him some caps and went in, had a nice talk, and Myers went with me."

"Oh, just like that?"

"Well." Lee squirmed, a bit. Enough.

Benny pulled Lee in closer, tugged the courier into a little hug. "C'mon, you know you can tell me, right?"

"Alright, so. He wanted some things before he'd be sheriff."

"A convict sheriff."

"You know, that's not all there is to a person. He's made choices, and he stuck by them and was willing to pay the price. I respect that."

"Mmhmm. So how long until the NCR realizes they've got a convict across the way?"

More squirming and Lee turned a bit and looked back. "You're getting off on this, aren't you?"

"What?"

"Are you the sort who loves to go and sow discord? Are you bad?"

"Who, me?" Benny leaned in, let his breath run against Lee's exposed neck. "I'm a bad man. I could show you." Fingers traced against that taut belly, they plucked at the gingham material and felt the flesh tremble and flutter at the touch. "Want me to?"

"Maybe when being around you isn't like taking a shot."

"A shot?" His grip tightened on them a bit, fingers curled and pushed at the skin.

"Of whiskey?" They twisted a bit, turned to fully face him. Practically on Benny's lap, Lee pressed very close to his face. "You smell like a broken keg."

"You're really the best at compliments, I can't think of a nicer way to say I'm a lush."

There came that flash of teeth, that open teasing grin. Lee poked his nose up against Benny's. "Am I wrong? Are you more sober than I think? Because if you were... maybe I could kiss you."

"How come you couldn't if I wasn't?"

"Didn't your mama teach you that's not right?"

"No."

"Well." A pause, and what seemed like panic flashed in those eyes and creased lines into that freckled forehead. Lips tugged open, then snapped shut. Finally, he spoke. "How do you know you really like someone if you're drunk?"

"Who cares? I'm a bad boy, remember? You like that, don't you?" An hour ago, he'd have smacked the bartender if they'd have suggested that he'd be seducing, and being seduced by, the one he wanted to kill. Here, it seemed to flow, free and easy. "C'mon, baby. Let me show you my cards."

Lee licked that bottom lip then pulled back and pressed himself to the edge of the couch, several feet from Benny. At opposite ends, Lee pulled his knees up in front of his chest and eyed Benny. "Not right now, alright? I want to, but."

"I get it, I get it. You wanna make sure it's on the up and up. No worries." Palms out again, more sincere than in previous times. "So what happened with that sheriff?"

"I got a pardon for him. NCR knows who he is, and where he works."

"All that buildup and that's how you say it?"

Lee didn't look to Benny. He seemed to watch the outside, where sunshine streamed in through a hole in the ceiling. "It was a long walk to the Outpost. I saw some coyotes on the way though, gave them a few gecko steaks."

"You're a real platinum kinda guy. But don't you feel bad for the geckos?"

"The geckos were already dead, so I couldn't do anything anyway even if I wanted to help them. Besides, the coyotes were puppies. I had to feed them."

"What a sweetie."


	4. Ivanpah Race Track

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lee has a need for speed.
> 
> Benny has a need to not remember Nipton.

Lee glanced over with a face that said monotone as much as his voice did. "So. You went past Primm, right?"

"Sure did."

"What happened with you?"

Nipton happened.

\---~~~---

Smoke was a tell. You don't walk towards smoke, and the Khans with him knew it too. Unlucky, it didn't matter they tried to follow the tracks and skirt around the city. Legion soldiers surrounded them anyway.

When that area was so thick with them, it was no wonder that the three of them weren't much of a match against the damn muscle-bound troglodytes that passed for Legionaries. Benny and the Khans were tough, that much was certain, but against twenty men it was a bet between who'd fall first.

He'd taken a shot to the shoulder and nearly lost his grip entirely on Maria. That moment, that singular second in time, sealed that he'd be captured. It seemed to slow, as though to let him understand in full vivid detail just how badly he'd messed up.

Benny never gave in easy, but a half dozen men with machetes rounded him. Once they pulled into melee range, he knew he was sunk. It still didn't keep him from shooting a couple final bullets from Maria into whatever unlucky scarlet-clad bastard was closest.

Gravel dug through gray pants, pressed up hard against his knees. Bruises would form, if he managed to live long enough, and he grinned with a bloody split lip and looked up into the eyes of the man before him. "I bet you're only on with Caesar so you can get views like this." He licked up a thick glob of blood from his bottom lip and swirled it around in his mouth.

"Of conquered animals, captured and taught the lessons of the Legion? Of profligates and degenerates like you who end their existence before my very eyes?"

"Of pretty men on their knees. That's what you Legion boys like, isn't it?"

The kick to the cojones was worth it in retrospect, but in the moment he tugged in a scream and filtered it out into a low grunt. "That's... what I thought." He didn't wheeze, he didn't beg. He refused.

"Gag him." The one who called the shots nodded in Benny's direction. Men scrambled to do as he asked. "String him up like the other dogs in his pack."

Hands on his body, rough, groping, punishing. They tenderized him, and the others, before they finally raised him onto that pole.

He felt sweat soak through his suit. Bloody wounds stung from salt a bit more where he already burned so deep.

That face, those eyes. Even behind goggles, even covered with that mongrel's head, the Legion man chilled him.

Those eyes focused on him, his eyes focused on them, he'd been transfixed even with all the stretching pain in his body.

He hadn't even noticed when Lee had shown up until Lee had torn through a good four men, that leader included.

Benny shook. Lee gave him stimpacks after and did his best to help the Khans. But they were gone like Chance had been.

At that time, he hadn't worried much about the future, so much as the moment and finding a house to sleep in and rest off all the shock. He'd been in bad situations, but that one had pulled a little bit of himself right on out and left it mangled. He wasn't ashamed to admit it to himself, even if he wouldn't say it out loud.

\---~~~---

"Are you alright?" There came the concern, as evident as anything in those wide green eyes and in that soft rolling voice. "It's alright if you don't wanna talk about it. In fact, maybe we shouldn't."

Benny shrugged. He ignored the pain from his previous injury, used to being able to bury his tells down and play with the best of them. "Don't worry about it. It was a surprise to see you when you showed up though. I'd turned in my towel once they put me up on that pole."

"That'd be one of the worst ways to go, wouldn't it?" There, the voice came at a crawling pace.

Benny felt that chill, as though the frumentarii were there again. Heat and reality didn't make a difference to how his body felt. "Can't think of a worse way. And believe me, that's not for a lack of imagination. Being strung up like that, you start to see the world a bit different."

"How about being buried alive?" Lee pressed his body back against the couch, eyes faced forward then, lips pressed together. "Forget that though, it's nothing to talk about."

"Is there a story for that?" Benny prodded, physically with a gentle shoulder rub, verbally with a quiet tone.

"No more than you want to talk about Nipton." Lee cracked his face into a smile and angled his head on back towards Benny. "It's not polite to talk about those things though. You know, Novac's a nice little town. You've got your old and your new, all mingled together in a nice fun way. Oh, I wouldn't mind settling near there if it ever comes to it."

That tone rang false, but Benny wouldn't argue. He nodded, pursed his lips and focused. "So, I suppose you went there next?"

"No. Traveled back on down to the Outpost. Spread word about what the Legion pulled."

"Oh, back to the NCR for you then? I didn't peg you the sort to be their errand boy, but I suppose you are a courier..."

"Don't take it that I'm with them. That already got me into a bit of a misunderstanding with Boone. Besides, I'd have headed around Nipton if Ghost hadn't sent me. You should be glad."

"Glad you weaved your sweet way through the Mojave and didn't follow the damn road?"

"The best things happen off the beaten path."

\---~~~---

Tiny ants could still be found in the world, but most people paid more attention to the massive mutated ones. While so many felt surges of disgust at their thick exoskeletons and the way their antennae flexed, Lee had always rather liked watching the diligent little workers go about their business. He wasn't so keen on the big ones, if only because he'd seen what awful business they could get on with, given time and space.

The little ones could haul sometimes 50 times their own weight back to the nest. The gargantuan ones could haul at least that much more.

Lee didn't weigh more than 100 pounds in the rain.

Soldier ants didn't much bother him until he came up right into their space. A tiny bit later, he launched himself onto one curious ant's back. After that, he held on for the life of him, and waited for the ant to calm down.

\---~~~---

"So hold on, hold on." He put a hand up, so similar but so different to all the palms up he'd shown Lee before.

"Benny."

"You're telling me that while I was getting brutalized by Legion, you were playing with ants? What, magnifying glasses weren't enough for you?"

"I was racing."

"Babe."

"I've never gone so fast in my life."

"That good huh?"

"It was the best damn experience if I'm to be honest here."

"I'd rather that than be in bed with a liar. So, what happened?"

Lee grinned, lopsided and more than a touch goofy, and flopped closer to Benny. He bumped their shoulders and snuggled closer. "Bed, huh? Well, alright. I guess I'll tell you since we're getting so close to one another. Maybe sometime I'll work out the kinks and take you out on the course myself."

"I'd like that. I like going fast myself, you know. " He ironed out the guilt from his sentence and matched the happy little smile like a mirror. Fingers stroked an easy pattern into Lee's shoulder and tugged the courier in closer.

\---~~~---

Wind snapped at his face, whipped around skin, and forced soft wisps of hair up and back. The ant beneath him ran full speed, as though it didn't grasp it couldn't outrun something on top of it.

Lee almost felt a sting of guilt from how he rode the creature, until he recalled how many bodies he'd seen in the nests he'd explored in the past.

Skittering legs pattered along the rocky desert floor, swiping gravel and dirt away with every hurried step.

With the chase evident, he couldn't help but feel that swell of excitement in his heart, and he embraced the ant more tightly between his legs while he lowered himself down low and aimed the soldier along the ancient track.

Lee and the ant, dubbed Dilly, overtook a lone derelict race car. They sped right on by, then cut a close turn in front of it. Dozens of ants clambered after them, with no doubt more called up by the minute from the deep tunnel system below.

Dilly was a strong one. She held firm and fast even under the rough conditions of the chase. When one ant would go to launch an attack on Lee and Dilly, Dilly would take a sharp twist in her steps and scoot on by.

A single rock was all it took. One leg caught on an upright angled stone and Dilly took a dive.

The ants surrounded Lee and Dilly, and Lee took one last look at Dilly before he aimed his pistol right at the first ant that reached for him with pincer mouth. He blasted that head clean through.

It wasn't long before the evening sun shone heavy over the green goop of the naughty ants. Lee carried himself with a few more cuts and bruises from it, but managed to keep himself upright and safe, albeit shaken.

Dilly, unfortunately, did not fare so well. She collapsed beside Lee, having clearly fought beside him the entire time.

\---~~~---

"So, she fought with you huh? What're the odds of that?"

"Well, with most regular animals it's a sure thing. Insects, a bit more of a toss-up. It's rare they fight each other when I'm involved, but odder things have come my way. I'd feel bad, but ants tunneled up into our-- into the Vault once, ate Aunt Martha sure as could be. I don't much empathize with them anymore, though I did feel a swelling of something sad when Dilly died."

Benny worked that hand carefully up their neck, played in their soft hair. "You'd die for a ride on a train then. The one that connects the NCR to The Strip would make you sing, baby."

"I can't wait to get there. Finish the job and take some time to myself."

"Oh, between ant racing and sniping at deathclaws? What else was on your agenda?"

"Have you heard about REPCONN?"

"Who hasn't? Oh. Oh no. Kid. There's no way you had to do with those rockets. I saw them whiz on by."

"I even got some nice pictures of them on the takeoff. Can't wait to develop the film. Should look real pretty."


	5. REPCONN Test Site

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lee meanders through a story about REPCONN and Benny tries to get him to hurry up to the point.

Lee had seen pictures of dinosaurs before, faded color images in thick books he wasn't supposed to read. He'd never seen one up close though. From the distance, he could see a glint of something in its mouth.

Carefully, he advanced along the road towards the massive green dinosaur.

\---~~~---

"You knew it was a building, right?"

"Oh, gee, thanks, Benny. I'm glad for that vote of confidence in my intellect." The accent dried up a bit, became a bit sharper than the molasses it had been.

Benny chuckled and reached for another smoke, with far less shake than his hands were used to over the last few days. "Alright, sorry to offend, babe. I just wanted to make sure." Unfortunately, being a bit calmer didn't make cigarettes appear from the air. He sighed and let his hands fall back out of his pocket. One settled itself back onto Lee's shoulder.

"Yeah, I knew it--well, alright, I thought it was a statue like them gentlemen holding hands near that outpost, but turned out it was a building. It's near enough the same anyway."

"Uh huh. So who sent you to REPCONN?" Even as he sobered, he wished for a bit more whiskey. The kid had stories, and he didn't mind hearing them.

"Why assume someone sent me there? Can't I just go there on my own?"

"Easy, alright fine. You went there on your own. What, lose your way to New Vegas and find rockets instead?"

There was that expression again. Narrowed, irritated eyes. Lips pressed up together. "Do you want to hear the story or not? I can go if--" Lee began to rise.

"No, no, just." He tugged Lee back down, scooted himself a bit closer. "I'm sorry, hey, nobody's perfect. And I'm not a nobody, so I make mistakes every now and again. I'll zip my lips though, right? Just lay it on me. What happened?"

He wouldn't let another Nipton happen. Here, he wasn't in shock and dehydrated. Here, he didn't push Lee away because he didn't figure it out soon enough that his savior was his mark. Even drunk, he was better off than before.

Here, cuddled up right next to him, Lee relaxed and nodded. "Well, alright. Since you asked real polite."

\---~~~---

Lee pulled out his camera and took a few shots from off in the distance until he was right up under the belly of the beast itself. From so close, he could see someone up inside the dinosaur, and he knew right away he wanted to go have a talk with them and see what this place was all about. Especially considering they were probably friendly enough, as the glint was a gun and the man hadn't used it on Lee yet.

So, he packed his camera away and entered around through the gate into the courtyard, then headed up those steps and into the building. Humidity hit high, and old sweat lingered within the confines of what was, evidently, a little tourist shop.

He bought a dinosaur and put it right beside his camera in the bag. It'd be useful for any number of shots in the future, no doubt.

\---~~~---

Benny tried not to laugh, he really did.

"You know, if you weren't so cute I'd have been off already."

"If you really wanted to leave, I don't think you'd let my handsome self stop you." So slow, he leaned against them. "And I only laughed because that's just... adorable, kid."

Rolled eyes.

Ah, but that only made it that much more charming.

Unfortunately.

Benny coughed, pulled back, sorted himself out physically, and nodded. "Please continue. I really do want to know how you got rockets going."

"I'm gonna have to institute a caps rule. Every interruption, you owe me a cap."

Benny reached into his pockets for a familiar weight, and this time he found it. A few single caps. He reached one hand out, and pulled Lee's palm up, before the other hand placed the money. "That should cover my debts so far."

"I--I wasn't... You know what? Alright." It got a little hiccup of a giggle from him, before Lee placed those caps into deep jeans pockets, and he looked on over with a mischievous grin. "You'll be broke before I end my story though if you keep up like you've been."

"Baby, you could talk for ages, I could stop you just as long, and I'd still have plenty of caps left."

"Oh, Mr. Monopoly. Well fine then. Might take you up on that offer..."

"But this ain't a story about REPCONN so far, this is all about Novac. Wanna cut to the chase a little?"

Lee flopped against the arm of the couch, twisted his body just enough, and placed legs right over Benny's lap. "Yeah, fine, if you're gonna hound me on it."

\---~~~---

Inside, a man named Manny seemed friendly enough and Lee and him chatted for a few minutes. Manny asked him if he'd go clear out the pack of ghouls so that Novac could continue as a prospector's haven.

Lee, being a generous sort and pretty good in a fight, agreed.

Within a few hours, he was up at the base of REPCONN and ready to delve inside and figure out why there were so many ghouls fouling up the place.

\---~~~---

"Radiation heals ghouls, you know. That's probably why they settled up there." He handed a cap over into Lee's soft hand. "Go on though." His fingers wrapped up in those warm digits and Benny held his hand there for a moment.

Lee's face pulled back in surprise for a moment, then he managed a grin, pulled the hand back and pocketed the cap. He relaxed a bit further into the springy couch cushion.

\---~~~---

A thick voice sounded over the intercom. Deep and rocky, it called out for Lee to come find the owner at the top of the building and to try and avoid any ghouls he might find on the way.

"So, just up some metal stairs way back in the building, then?"

"That's what I said, isn't it?" The voice seemed irritated, mocking. "Is that too many syllables for you?"

"You know, Mister, I would love to help you, but if you're going to treat me like I'm less than nothing, then you can take your attitude and shove it where the sun--"

"Alright, fine. I'm sorry. Please, we really could use someone's help, alright? I'm not the best at dealing with smoothskins like you."

"Well, how could I refuse when you apologize so nice?" He walked away from the intercom and attempted to follow the directions to get at where the speaker was.

The facility was massive. Rust coated the air with a familiar metallic tang that clung to his tongue and burned a bit at his eyes. The desert heat wasn't much diminished inside, and aside from a few areas, everything hung hotter than outside where the sun set.

He couldn't go more than a few feet without thinking he heard a ghoul. On more than a few occasions he had to duck into a room and wait, in an attempt to do as asked and not shoot them on sight.

It got more difficult to avoid them as time went on and Lee felt like he was pulling in a great big circle around the place. When he finally reached the front desk again and spotted that great big mockup rocket, he ground his teeth and he stomped back over to the intercom.

"You again? What is it?"

"I'm having a real heck of a time trying to find the place you're talking from and I keep getting almost jumped by these ferals fellas. Mind running things by me again?"

So, the man over the intercom informed Lee about where he was at, once more, and Lee was able to find--

\---~~~---

"So, you struggled all the way back to the front desk and didn't find the stairs." Benny had the cap ready, but he withheld it halfway from Lee's hand, not quite ready to give it up. "And I'm supposed to believe he gave you better directions after being a crying fink? Come on, give it up. What'd he say?"

Lee sighed and dug his heels into Benny's hip a bit. "Fine."

Benny pressed the cap onto Lee's knee and held his palm over them both for a moment. Then, he stroked his hand down those thick jeans along to Lee's ankle.

\---~~~---

"You're kidding me? Maybe you should write it down if you know how to read."

"I've had it just about up to here, Mister." He gestured way above his head, as far as his arm could stretch. Not that the surly voice could probably see it.

"Look, so have I--"

"No, no, I don't think you have. Look, I'm no genius, but it seems to me that you're the one that needs help here, not me. I could leave, waltz on outta here and be on my merry way. I don't need some surly no-faced voice telling me my worth. So either shape up and tell me how to get to you, or you can face the same fate those nightkin and ghouls did, Buddy."

"You're a real hardass, you know that? But fine." The voice took a deep breath, then spoke slow, though notably with less lingering sarcasm, "Head right, then follow through, go up some stairs, follow it through again, and then you should find a big room with a lot of metal stairs."

It took just a bit of map finagling on his Pip-boy before he figured he'd probably been right past the spot at least once, and he could get there this time. Finally satisfied he could find the mystery man, he lowered his arm and said, "Thank you," and walked on towards where the stairs likely were.

\---~~~---

"I know, I know. Bad manners, interruptions, yadda yadda, but c'mon. Baby."

"What, Benny?"

"So, you had a Pip-boy, even then. And it had a map. And you had already gone by the area you needed to go in, and it was on your map. Am I understanding what you're laying down?"

"Yes..."

"So what was the holdup? How come you can't navigate yourself out of a shoebox?"

"Ok, did you grow up in a Vault?"

"No."

"No, I didn't think so. It's a tiny, cramped space where..." Lee inhaled. Lee exhaled. "You know, I understand Vaults around here, they're not pleasant. Fiends in some, awful deadly plants rumored to be in others, and just a whole lot of bad things happen. It's a sore topic around here, so I understand." He licked his lips.

"And?"

"Well, small spaces. You don't need a map. You know everyone, you know everywhere. But out in the big world above, and in other buildings? It's all new. So, yeah, so I can't figure out which way's north or where to go to get to New Vegas if someone isn't practically holding my hand. I've got other skills that make up for it."

"No need to be defensive, doll-baby. It's alright. So, you found the stairs, right?"

"Mm."

For all his prior interruptions, this one seemed to bother Lee the worst. No more teasing expressions of irritation, no more light smacks, no demands of caps. No, Lee seemed preoccupied with something else, and that bothered Benny. Sunk like a stone in his stomach and made him shift in discomfort.

Lee perked up and flipped his legs off of Benny's lap, and sat upright on the couch. "Well, anywho. Up the stairs, in through the door, and wouldn't you know it? Guy's not a ghoul at all, but he's got it all in his head he is one. Don't that just beat all?" The accent was thicker than usual, it blanketed all the words.

"Oh, well--"

"So he turns out to be a real clever mechanic sorta guy, and he's helping out this ghoul leader, Jason Bright-- real nice but sort of odd man-- and they want to take their group of ghouls up into space, seeing as how Jason had some dreams that ghouls belong there. So I help them, and I get some parts they need, and I make the invading nightkin leave and wouldn't you know it? Everything worked out in the end. Chris ended up settling in Novac too, ain't that just wonderful?" Lee stood up, stretched high, and moved for the doorway.

Benny pushed up from the couch. Fingers reached towards his pocket where Maria slept, but he waited at the hem, didn't touch her. "Hey, where's the fire, sweetheart? I hope you're not heading out."

"You know, I'd like a walk. You're welcome to join me. I might even tell another story if you can stand the way I ramble on and on." A higher laugh than usual edged out, and Lee ducked through the sunken doorway and seemed to run out of the building.

He patted Maria for comfort, then headed on out after Lee. "Well, I wouldn't have minded you telling a bit more about REPCONN but you seemed to give me the highlights."

"Oh, sure. Religious cult for ghouls, they head into space. I suppose I should've just summarized it anyway. My mistake."

"For all my talk, I don't mind you telling stories, you know."

"Oh yeah?" That monotone just didn't sound right, coming from Lee's normally upbeat body.

"You're a good storyteller, you should keep that up." It wasn't desperation, he insisted. He just needed Lee alone if he was to do anything. He didn't need to be seen with Lee right before things happened.

"It was a good Vault. It's a good Vault."

"Uh huh."

"It's not their fault I wasn't prepared for things. I could have paid more attention. I could have..." Another laugh, it cracked as it came out. "It's not their fault I felt like I did. I acted like I did."

Benny watched Lee. Watched long lashes blink. Watched deep breaths fill a small body, shake it up a bit from the shoulders on down.

Benny reached over and patted Lee on the shoulder. "That the prison you mentioned?"

Lee stiffened, then relaxed. He cracked a smile and looked back over at the bar. "It's not right to talk about family like that, you know? I wouldn't've said a word like that even a year back. I guess I've changed a lot."

"Change is fine. I've... believe me, I've changed a lot since things first started rolling years back. You wouldn't even recognize the guy I was. Hell, some of my friends don't either." Benny didn't look too far back. He wouldn't.

"I never killed a person in my life, until I stepped foot outta that... The Vault. You call a place home all your life, and they send you packing with a few words about not being so _good with my fingers anymore_ , and how I should learn to _play a different instrument_ than the one I was."

"I... I feel like those are euphemisms, but really, anything could be if you say it right."

"Well, I've been doing more than using euphemisms, talking to you, haven't I? Back when, I'd barely say a thing to anyone I fancied, seeing as how that'd get me a one-way ticket out the door. But it's fine. Maybe it's better up here. I've certainly felt good. Better than that! It's a blessing, really. They're fine and happy below, and I'm up here having a great time!"

That voice warbled. Benny gave a sad nod. "Sure, I'm sure you are."

Lee was a bit unstable and in his experience, that led to danger for everyone around. Sure, Lee seemed a nice sort. But it'd be the humane thing to end this soon. Luckily, Novac wasn't far away. Kid probably didn't have too many stories after it. The least he could do was let Lee finish.

Benny brought back his winning smile and fingered at Maria through his pocket, ready for when he'd need it. "So, that guy in the dinosaur? How'd he take you sending those rockets on into space?"

"Oh! Right. Wanna hear about Novac now?"

"Sure thing. A walk and a story, I couldn't ask for a better time." The further they walked, the further they were from the bar and the NCR. No witnesses.


	6. Novac

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lee's not as stupid as Benny hoped. He is mostly as naive though.

"Hey, Manny, I took care of tho-- hey, you're not Manny. Where's he at?"

"No, I'm not. And he's probably sleeping." The gun wasn't pointed at Lee, exactly, but it wasn't pointed out through the teeth where it belonged either.

That, coupled with the venom laced in those tight words, was enough for Lee to push up against the door, a bit less comfortable sharing space in the dinosaur's cramped maw. Lee nodded though, short and sharp, and reached backward for the doorknob. "Well, I'll take myself out then. No need to wake him up just to say REPCONN doesn't have ghouls anymore. Plus, their rockets are missing now."

"Their... rockets? Is that what I heard?"

"Uh, maybe? Could be, but I guess I didn't figure they got heard all the way out here."

"They flew right over Novac. You'd have to be deaf to not hear it. What did you have to do with it?"

Lee caught the knob in hand and slowly turned it, not quite pleased with the intensity of this guy's stare behind those dark shades. "Well, I might've helped them fly away for some distant star system, but you know, at least they're gone right? Y'all can go scrapping there again. Shouldn't even have anymore nightkin there to bother you neither."

"Nightkin. There were nightkin too?"

"Uh huh, and a following of ghouls looking for salvation and their Eden out in space. Oh, and I convinced a guy to come on into town now, he's a mechanic or engineer or... he's a real science guy, you'll probably like him."

"I doubt it."

There were some situations you didn't complain when you got interrupted. Someone holding a rifle and looking willing to use it was one of those situations.

Lee didn't always hold the composure to keep from letting others know his immediate and hard displeasure. "Listen, Sir, I've had a real _zippidy doo-dah day_ and I did my absolute best to make things better for this here little town, and I've had it about up to here with people being sarcastic in my direction when I'm helping. So how about I get outta what hair you have and you keep outta mine and probably don't mention to Chris he's bald now because apparently being bald made him think he's a ghoul and you _don't_ even want to know about how those conversations went." Half through his rant, he lost steam and changed directions back to the surly 'ghoul' who he'd had it about up to his shoulders with. Especially on the walk down into town. It didn't matter.

Lee pawed at the door.

The sniper, whoever he was, stilled. "Wait, don't go."

"Mixed signals aren't good for radios and they aren't good for me, neither. So, do I stay and you stop lookin' like you're fixin’ to toss me out the dino and shoot me, or should I go and we leave each other alone?"

There came the ghost of a smile, eased out over stern features. "Stay, please."

Well, manners always did well to keep him listening. He released the door and settled in against it with a lean to shut it. "So how come you want me staying after you did all that work to kick me out? Is this a surface thing? No, maybe not, Chris came from a Vault too... maybe it's just a some people thing, and my Vault didn't keep that sort around..."

It got an eyebrow raise, but not much comment until Lee shut his own rambling down with a snap of his jaw up.

"You're a guy who gets things done to help others, right?"

"Well, I do my best, for sure. I don't like going too far without makin' new friends."

The smile haunted a bit wider, and the man in the beret nodded. "Good. You're new. That's good enough. I've got a job for you if you're interested."

\---~~~---

"So, simple as that, I went and did a job for him and then he joined up with me and we were walking buddies up until I sent him back to Novac for a little bit while I make my delivery."

"Whoa, hold on, but what was the job?"

"You know how you ain't supposed to talk religion, money, sex, or politics when you're talking to someone new, or you're having a meal?"

"Yeah?"

"Well, it's like that, only, I'm never talking about it."

"You didn't... you're not the type he could hire to kill someone, right? That doesn't look like you." His own hard-soled shoes were far quieter against the ground than Lee's stomps.

"I didn't kill anyone, no."

"Then you set someone up to be killed?"

"Far be it from me to stop you when you're going... but you might wanna aim the conversation a bit elsewhere. Lower might be alright." Lee stopped and pressed himself back up against the wall of a decrepit old building. "Could go for real lower, if you were up for it."

Lee was a little horndog, like Benny. He glanced over his shoulders, took in the surroundings to come to the conclusion they were alone, then he advanced nice and slow like. One hand caught on the rough brick wall, while the other touched at one of Lee's shoulders, trailed down the arm until it caught at one hand. "Well, who am I to pass up an offer?"

Lee grinned and squirmed, his shoulders moving from side to side in what seemed like excitement. One hand leisurely trailed up Benny's suit until it stopped along the outer edges of Benny's pocket. "Have you been real happy to see me all night, or have you been playing with a gun?"

All the playfulness of before was gone, and there was a harsh line to those lips.

Benny moved to step back.

Lee was strong and quick, even with such a petite frame. He held one hand low down, gripped Benny by the bulge. Lee twisted his hand. "Because, seems to me, you've been makin' slips and missteps all night. I'd love to not be paranoid, really, I would. But I've got a package on my person that's more expensive than that suit, and I don't think it's terribly a coincidence you and me meeting up like this. I did... I really hoped it was a happy one. But I don't think it is."

Benny didn't feel inclined to interrupt yet, not when there was a hand so threatening at his privates, ready to tear him a new one in more ways than he liked to imagine. Finally though, between steadying breaths, he worked up a reply. "Baby, Lee. It's not like that."

"Then tell me a story, _Baby_. What exactly is it like?"

"How can I tell you when you've got me one move away from singing soprano?"

Lee relaxed the grip but didn't give it up. "One move for that gun you've been teasing all night and you'll be singing with the angels."

"That's sweet. You're the first one I've ever met who thought I'd be on the escalator up."

Lee huffed. "Tell me why you're here."

"I came to kill you." No sense being a pussycat about it.

But Lee faltered. Despite how he wanted the truth, it looked like he couldn't handle it. He did tighten his grip though, even as his face hardened and softened and didn't seem to know how to react.

It hurt, God did it hurt. But he'd been through worse. Words were what he needed. "Not... not here. I'd given up by the time you strolled in, happy as could be. That's why I was soaking my liver, Lee." No more time for pet names, was there? Not when Lee held a handle on his junk and didn't seem to know what he wanted to do with it.

"W-why do you wanna?"

"Because you've got something that's mine."

Lee blinked, and tears came forward and threatened to roll down the freckled cheeks. Lee stood taller, a feat considering his stature, and shook his head. "No, this isn't a dirty package. You're _lying._ You're the one that wants to steal it." Well, there went the other hand, reaching down and pulling out the machete hooked to Lee's hip.

No more fucking around. Benny nodded. "Maybe it's not mine yet, but I'm the one that should have it."

"I should kill you where you stand."

"So why don't you? You've got me right where you could. All you'd have to do is--"

"Tell me why you want what I have so bad. Give me one real reason not to just... to just end you."

"You want storytime?"

"I do."

"Then fasten yourself in, because this rabbit hole goes deep."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is not the kind of hands-on action Benny was hoping for.


	7. New Vegas

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lee doesn't trust Benny as far as he can throw him. But Lee's probably pretty strong.

A child cried behind a burning building. They clutched their arms tight to their chest and pressed their back up against an ancient rusty dumpster.

Welcome to New Vegas.

Benny and his men walked right on towards those gates that kept the rubble away from the shining ruby of the city. Many securitrons, like the ones that Benny and the guys saw days before, stayed before the gate.

Without hesitation, he stepped over a bullet-ridden body right up to one of Mr. House's robots and said, "We're here."

And there flickered Mr. House's face, replacing the other, "Excellent. I'd known you would make the correct choice regarding the future of your family, and the future of New Vegas. "

Around them, the scent of plasma burned bodies lingered, hot in Benny's nose. It felt more like he was in Fiend territory. It looked like Hell. Or it was the center of where Legion might strike in their “leave no survivors” campaigns. He'd passed through the territory of more than one tribe where Legion had destroyed everything and left crucified corpses up on telephone poles from the past.

The only thing missing to make this look like a Legion attack was that just beyond those gates Benny could hear people talking calmly, and he could see bright lights that went on for miles and signaled to all the world that New Vegas was back in business.

Then that smug smiling face, with an expression that never wavered, continued on, "These bright beautiful lights that you see before you are just a hint of the wonders of what Las Vegas was. What I made it be, back before that damn war. You, and your men, you're the Chairmen now. You will not wander the wastes like starving animals, you will do as I say. And because you will, you will enjoy good lives. Just inside, you will see a building with a marquee and sign over it to refer to it as The Tops. Take the boxes inside, and wear those clothes. I will not have The Chairmen looking like irradiated mongrels that ravage the wastes outside of the city."

Mongrels. His band of Boot Riders had been called a lot of things, but that one made his teeth tight, gritted together. "Yeah, we got it." Maybe Bingo had a point. But you didn't go half in, you didn't just dip your feet when you made a decision. You took your lumps like a man.

"And one more thing. Inside, there are books on how to properly talk to represent what you will be. Can you read?"

Benny didn't let his lip curl how a few days back he would have. He'd won the fight with Bingo, but this guy was something else. You couldn't read the expression on a picture for anything more than what was there.

Benny nodded. "I can."

"Good. I'll send over some securitrons to see to your verbal progress. There are also written instructions printed out and placed within the largest box. As you're the top Chairman, see to it that you follow my instructions and set the bar high for your men to obey as well."

And that was it. The screen flicked back to a stern man in an old time police hat, and the robot's voice crackled back into angry and demanding, "Move along. Inside!"

Herded like brahmin, Benny and his men walked inside the bright pen of The Strip.

\---~~~---

He paused for dramatic reasons, but Lee just maintained that same severe expression over his pretty little face.

"Any questions?"

"Not yet, no."

"Really?"

"Some people wait until a story's done to make their comments, Benny. I guess you don't know that though. It's just polite."

"Well, maybe I want this as more of a conversation. What'd you think about House?"

"He sounds... pretty much like you're makin' him out to be the real villain." There came a squeeze. There came a white knuckle grasp on that machete. "I don't like being played for a fool, Benny. If there's a point, make it."

"The point is if you think Caesar and the Legion's bad-- and I know you do, I saw what you did-- then you need to understand that was what we were up against. But worse. No one saw him coming, no one stood a chance. It was stand up straight, shut your mouth, do what you're told, or you burn like Freeside did sort of situation."

"So you just bent over and took it in then? Real brave, that really makes me want to empathize with you."

"I..." This wasn't going so well. "Look, kid--"

"I'm not a kid. It was... fine when we were all comfy cozy on that couch. But I'm the one in charge here. You can't fool me with clever words and pretend villains. Mr. House ain't nothing like Legion, or I'd've heard about it."

"Must feel real good." He stepped towards the grip on his bits, looked Lee right in those big green eyes. "Having all the cards. I'll level with you then. Take the chip. Leave me, hell, tie me up, Lee. Or kill me, whatever you want. But go deliver that chip yourself to House. See what he's like. It's been seven years, and I still remember every word he said to me that first day. Every single word. He might as well have carved it into me. That smug bastard will swallow New Vegas whole, and take everything else with him."

Lee's gaze flicked to just behind Benny, as though he couldn't look him in the eyes anymore. A moment later, he puffed up in a heavy sigh and loosened his grip on Benny's bits. "I wanna call that as a bluff."

"Are you gonna?" He arched a brow.

"I don't think you're bluffin' though. If you are, guess Vegas really got you better at it than I am. So, this House guy, he's a regular Caesar then?"

"If you ask me, he's worse. Caesar's a bug, he needs stomping. But House is everywhere. He's everything in New Vegas. You can't just kill him, no one can even get in and touch him. Even the NCR doesn't try, and that's one thing I have to say about those suckers. They try. They don't back down easy. That's the only reason they still have that dam, and they won't for much longer if someone doesn't do something."

"So, you, you're a real liberator, is that it?"

"Could you drip your sarcasm a bit further back? I just shined these shoes."

Lee cracked a grin, seemingly despite himself. A moment later, he huffed again. "Look, I don't trust you, alright? I would've if... if you'd just stopped fingering that gun, maybe I would have. But you can't trust a man with their finger on their trigger and their eyes on your face."

"Then maybe you shouldn't go to New Vegas. Freeside'll eat you up. They live like refugees because of House. Anyone who didn't die in the takeover, anyone who didn't bow down and say yes, they got the boot to the ass."

"I'm pretty tough."

"Sure, with Legion, and with deathclaws, apparently. But what about when it's a kid that pulls a gun on you after luring you into an alley?"

"That... seems unlikely."

Benny shook his head, slow and sad. He bit his bottom lip and raised his brows up near the middle, really laid it on just thick enough he watched Lee start to crumble that brittle resolve. "Kid." It didn't get him chopped, so he continued, "Baby, you can't even kill me and I admitted plain and simple I came after you all this time. And that's not just attraction. I'm calling a spade for what it is. You ain't a killer, Baby, even if you've bloodied your pretty hands."

And the wall came tumbling down. Lee released Benny's body, took a step back, and tore in another suck of air. "So what? I could do it."

"Do you wanna?" He arched a brow, tilted his neck a bit. Gave Lee an in he knew the guy wouldn't take.

Lee lifted the machete.

For a moment, Benny remembered the look of shock on Bingo's face when the giant had finally toppled. It was a real David and Goliath thing for him even then, and he wasn't exactly small. Here, it was the same, wasn't it? Only this time, Lee was the David.

But it wasn't. Lee lowered the machete and looked anywhere but at Benny. "If you coulda killed me, how come you didn't?" His booted toe pushed at a pile of rubble, as though he might find an answer there.

Benny stepped closer, twisted his luck. "Well, it's more than attraction, I can tell you that much. You want another story?"

Lee finally lifted his gaze, locked on with Benny's. "Yeah." That grip on the machete loosened, until it hung somewhat limply from his hand, and bobbed softly with every motion Lee made.

Benny offered his most winning smile and put an arm on Lee's shoulders.

Lee allowed it.

So, off they walked towards the couch.


	8. Nipton

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lee leaves.

Legion likes to do melee combat. It's a somewhat respectable thing, but the reason they like it is so they can get up close to their victims. So they can see the fear in their eyes. That's the whole reason for their armor too. It doesn't provide a whole lot of protection, but it doesn't have to. It's red, like the blood they spill. It's iconic. You see scarlet skirts, it's bound to be a Legion soldier or a Gomorrah babe. The front line is bullet fodder, bodies considered expendable, even by those in that rank of the Legion.

They fall and fall, but they keep coming. They don't care. They don't turn. They don't run.

Eventually, they either all lose, or enough bodies hit the ground that the real dangerous ones are at the front line. By then, they're in melee range. By then, you're dead or captured. There's no real way around it.

Benny isn't a slow person, he isn't a weak one either. But by the time lines and lines of soldiers fell around them, there wasn't much to do but take what came. He still fought and so did the Khans with him.

He still fell, just like those Legion men had. Only, he wasn't dead. Only, they didn't do him in fast.

 _Vulpes Inculta._ You'd have to be a fucking idiot to not recognize him for that dog hat on his head from all the NCR propaganda posters. If he was there, Benny knew nothing good would happen, but he still resisted. He did his damnedest to not just bend over and take it.

Vulpes, leader of the frumentarii, and he let you know it. He informed you, ever so slowly, of all the ways you could go down. He described in detail to Benny how it was a shame that the lottery had already been done. It was a problem, really, that Benny had shown up after the tickets had been handed out to the lucky winners, and the losers.

Crucifixion was about the worst thing anyone could do to another. In Legion territory, you could see lines and lines of those old telephone poles, strung up with death.

It seemed, Vulpes had said over so many minutes in the baking sun, that Benny and his companions had run out of luck.

And then the bastard had laughed. And he'd stuck around, long enough to watch Benny get picked at by black-winged bastards.

He'd stuck around, with his elite group of men, until Lee had shown up.

\---~~~---

"Something wrong?" Benny opened the door to the open building with the nice, but stained, couch inside.

"I don't think about Nipton. It's not a good thing to think about. Or talk about."

"You'd rather look to the future? That's something I can respect. Looking back doesn't solve a thing."

Lee didn't look at Benny, but then, that was the tell something was wrong again. Lee had some of the most obvious and expressive eyes, before you even counted the many ways Lee moved his face to give his hand away.

"Nipton's relevant though. Besides, you killed the guys. I was the one who got tortured. Don't I get a say on my story?"

"I-I wasn't stopping you. I just." He looked like he might bolt. Lee's breaths became unsteady. "Life up here is wrong. It's all wrong. Things like that, they shouldn't happen."

"They do."

"I know!" Lee kicked the door, but he didn't use the machete. He left the weapon in his hand and kept on kicking at that door until a hinge burst free and the door twisted outward a bit. It fell towards them.

Lee finally stopped. "Things are good in a Vault. If you are good, _everything is fine_."

"I can tell you haven't been to other Vaults." Benny reached unconsciously for a smoke.

Lee lifted the machete, eyes wild. A pause, then he lowered it. "Don't touch that gun."

"I wasn't." He kept the smirk at bay. This wasn't the time to egg the neurotic bundle of nerves on. That'd be later. "I'd just love a smoke right about now, even if I don't have any. Nipton was hard, and I don't break easy. Boot-- The Chairmen, we're tough customers, and so are Great Khans."

Lee reached down into his side bag, fumbled around awkwardly with just his one free hand, and found a pack. "This do?"

It wasn't his brand. A week before, he might've scoffed at it. But here, when he'd run out of cigarettes before Nipton, he wasn't a picky man. "That's great. You don't smell like a smoker though."

"It's a dirty habit. No one was allowed to smoke. But the packs make a pretty amount of caps when you find the right buyer." He pushed the hard pack into Benny's open palm, then took a step back. "Think you might open the door now?"

Benny did as asked, cigarette in his mouth, unlit, and lighter heavy in his hand even as he pushed his weight against the door.

Half of him expected Lee to surprise him again, that this might be a Trojan gift, and he'd meet his fate as the door went in.

He was wrong though, and Lee stepped up beside him and helped in the effort.

The door didn't go into place, it fell right back out of place in the other direction, disconnected from the frame.

Benny stepped into the dusty building, skirted around the door. "Nipton was where I realized you were kind. Someone who didn't tolerate tyrants, who might tell House where he could put his smug bullshit. You didn't want their blood on your hands, but you put it there anyway. You tried to help people, even when you were told all of us were sinners who deserved it. You didn't take his 'sermon' as anything more than the shit it was. At least." He turned towards Lee and lit his cigarette under a cupped hand. "That's what I learned." Engraved lighter back in his pocket, he took a step towards Lee and looked Lee right in the eyes. "Was I right?"

"I think you're real clever with your words when you wanna be, is what I think. I think you're trying to butter me up."

"Do you know, I can't think of a single other person who'd take on a horde of Legion, kill their mongrels, search for survivors, and give any survivors they found as much medicine as they've got on them. Did you even save a stimpack for yourself?"

Lee shifted, foot to foot, uncomfortable. "That's just manners."

"Giving your all until you've got nothing left?"

"If you don't, you're bad. And I don't wanna be." He sounded like a kid there. No doubt, he was a grown ass adult, but that crumpled little voice tugged at strings Benny had outright ignored for years.

"Is that what that Vault told you?"

An eye twitch. That could be a dangerous one.

Benny didn't step back, but he didn't advance. He could get Maria out in a second, but Lee had the advantage here with that machete already present. Fools said not to bring a knife to a gunfight, because they'd likely never been in either. Each weapon's got its range, and you didn't want to be in the range of a knife or a similar tool unless you already had your gun ready. Even then...

"If you're not right, you go up above. If you're good, you stay in. But it was so cramped in there. Sometimes... sometimes they made people who were just barely bad go up." Lee blinked, then that machete rose just ever so slightly, with the tip of Lee's wrist. "We don't talk about that. It's not polite."

Guy was a bundle of raw nerves, when you chipped away all that crystallized sweetness.

Benny nodded. "So no one should talk about bad things?"

"Yeah."

"See, that's how the Legion got so big. No one wanted to say a thing. Just ignore it, it'll go away. Right?"

He wanted to reach for Maria, he did. That flash on Lee's face, that rage, it begged for a bullet so Benny didn't have to wonder anymore.

Then Lee started to cry.

Shit.

Lee dropped the machete and settled in against a wall, then he sunk right down to his ass. Dust rose, then settled around him and on his misty cheeks. He sniffed in, deep.

Damn it.

Lee covered his face, pushed himself down into an egg of limbs, with lips pressed up to dirty jean-clad knees and eyes up against forearms.

Fuck.

Benny took a careful step closer. "Hey, hey. No need to cry."

"I'm just as bad as them."

Legion? Benny outright shook his head at that. "Not even sort of. Baby, you clearly don't actually, you know. Ignore things. If you did, you would have walked on by when Vulpes gave you the chance. Most people would. They'd jump through hoops to get away, do a little jig if they had to. All the people in that lottery would have."

Lee shook his head.

This had taken a turn for the worst, really. He'd rather take a bullet, or a machete slice, than this. Maybe not to his bits, that hadn't been a great stretch of time, but just about anywhere else.

Still, he stepped closer, moved right up beside Lee. Benny pushed the machete away with one foot, then crouched down right next to them. "That's why I didn't just put two bullets through your skull first chance I got, back in Nipton. That's why, when you and me, we went up on that couch and got nice and relaxed, I didn't trick you. I don't wanna play dirty that way. Not with a guy like you. Can you dig that, Baby?"

Lee nodded, soft at first. "You mean that?"

"Of course."

"Then how come you were working at that gun?"

"Old habits. I still want that chip, these lips don't lie. I'm used to having to push for things."

"Killing people?"

"If I have to. It's nothing personal."

Lee unfolded, stood, and pulled out a 9mm. Because of course he did, when his machete was out of reach. "I'm going now. I'm delivering that chip. You wanna stop me, fine. Have at it. Otherwise, I'm out."

He didn't palm for Maria. "You change your mind about where you want that chip to go, and who you want to help, you come find me at The Tops."

"Fine." Lee stepped right through the doorway and out through the open frame.


	9. The Strip

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Benny panics. Then he naps.

Benny pushed past the double doors into the casino.

"Hey hey, fella, welcome to th-- oh, Benny, almost didn't recognize you." Jack couldn't stumble over himself fast enough. "Sorry 'bout that, we get so many quick customers excited to play the slots, I don't always--"

"I don't care." He went right past the main desk, stepped back towards the elevator, and jammed that up button so hard his finger bent back. He didn't care.

He didn't have to turn to know Swank was beside him. It wasn't even that he saw his guy in the peripheral, it was Swank had a feeling about him. Benny always knew when he was around. Sure enough, he glanced through the smoke in his cheap cigarette and arched a brow. "Problem?"

Swank hated smoking; he hated the smell and definitely hated ashes on the floor. Swank ran the casino tight, Benny ran the Chairmen. It worked out alright.

"You look like you've had better days."

"Met the Legion." He flicked some ashes to the ground, then glanced back to his guards that came up around them. He waved them off, wordlessly, and they backed off into the crowd of the casino.

"Jesus. Are you--"

"If you ask if I'm ok, I might have to send you over to the Followers to get your brain checked. No, I'm not ok. Though I can honestly say, you should see the other guys."

Swank grinned there, though it hardly rode the elevator up to his eyes. "That's the Benny I know."

Benny relaxed. Sure, he hadn't been the one to do the bastards in, but he wasn't about to say as much. It wasn't a lie if it was an omission.

Not that it mattered. House would know he'd made a play soon, and they'd have to spread to the winds like 52 pickup. He'd gotten rid of his comfortable clothes years before, made use of that checked suit House gave him. That was a shame, he'd actually been able to breathe easy in the other clothes.

Maybe he could make a play first. Go all in, or not at all.

He didn't have the chip though. Lee'd kill him if he saw him. The securitrons would too, once they knew the facts.

'We keep everyone safe as houses.' Wasn't that what Jack at the door always said in his little speech? He probably hadn't varied on it even once in all seven years. House had written the lines, after all.

The ding sounded, and the doors opened with a whoomph. Normally, that noise calmed him.

Today, he patted some more ashes onto the carpet and inhaled the smoke deeply. In he stepped.

In Swank stepped. "Benny. I'm worried about you."

"I told you, those Legion boys ended up worse. Let's leave it at that."

"You're smoking indoors."

"And I've told you to leave me be on that before too, haven't I? Maybe it's just the ears that need checked. There are some ace doctors in with those Followers, you might want to go make an appointment."

"They're off-brand."

He huffed, sucked in that smoke, and exhaled it right at Swank. It was about the clearest 'fuck you' he could say without letting the words foul up his language right then. That was for later, in his suite, figuring out just how the hell he'd messed everything up so royally.

"You took a lot of cigarettes with you. You don't usually chain smoke."

"Well, you are really just hitting these thoughts outta the park, aren't you?" He had things he'd say. Don't question me. Don't follow me. Don't worry, _it's fine_.

It was not fine.

The Chairmen were done in, if House had his way. Or, at least, Benny was. Wasn't he?

He grinned and stepped out through the elevator, right across to his suite. "Here's where I get off."

Swank followed.

See, normally Swank listened to the clues between the words, he read between the lines. It seemed he was, but not how Benny wanted.

Benny turned about, pressed his chest up against Swank's. "I really don't suggest you follow me tonight. This isn't tea time. We're not going to sit and have a chat. My," a breath, a pause, "suggestion, is you turn around, you put on your biggest showtime smile, and you dazzle the customers who come in with that happy Swank style you pull off so well."

"I'm worried about you, Benny. You put yourself in that room for a month at a time, you... ask me to do things. You disappear."

"Do you have a problem with how things're being run? Think you can call the shots better than me?"

"No. And no. I just want to know you're alright. We used to talk." Swank turned about and held the elevator with just a swish of his arms between the doors. "If there's something big coming, I think you owe it to us to let us know."

"If I get a visitor--goes by Lee, real petite little guy-- make sure to pat him down thoroughly. Then send him up."

Not that Lee would show, right?

Swank left. Benny listened to the elevator in its mechanical descent through the building. Eventually, it stopped or got too far away for him to hear the sounds.

He sighed, stepped into his suite, and flicked his cigarette away into a nearby trashcan.

Swank would chastise him for it.

He didn't care.

Tie loosened and tossed away, suit jacket off and hung over the back of a chair, he stepped into his bedroom.

In the distance, he heard Yes Man call out for him, but he ignored it. He needed a nap. If it got him killed, fine, but he was too exhausted to go another minute.

He tugged his belt out, then snapped it across the room. Benny kicked off his oxfords and collapsed over his bed face first, diagonal and stretched.

Benny didn't care.

Benny cared when he heard the knock at the door. It was soft, tentative.

He felt a crust on his eyes and rubbing it with the back of his hand only made it worse. "What?"

Yes Man said something in the distance, but the knock couldn't be Yes Man.

Benny rolled out of bed. Carefully, he padded towards his jacket and Maria. "Who's there?"

"It's me." Lee.

Too many things rushed through his brain, his heart, his stomach, far too fast. He ended up falling over the chair to grab at his jacket. Twisted up, he tugged his checked jacket on as quick as he could after his blunder over the arm of the chair. "Gimme a minute."

"Take your time. Nice guy named Swank sent me up, said you'd wanna see me."

"I told you that myself."

"Well, yeah, but I got the feeling you wouldn't really wanna. I mean, we didn't leave off too pleasant." The voice was fairly muffled, but still loud enough Benny could hear it. Anyone else in the halls could hear it too, and Benny didn't like that.

He checked that Maria had bullets in the chamber. Satisfied, he headed to the door. He wasn't as put together as he wanted to be, without shoes, without a tie, without his belt, but he was at least well enough to receive Lee into his suite and make his business his again.

He opened the door and in stepped Lee.

"Well this is a fancy place."

"What'd you expect?" He shut the door and subtly locked it at the knob, before he turned to face Lee's back.

"Don't know, really. This suits you though, I think. From what little I know." Lee turned about. "I met Mr. House."

"Want a drink? I could use one myself. Everything's happened that could happen, lately." He ambled on over to the bar, ready to pour himself one even if Lee abstained.

"I could go for something strong. That's a helluva personality he's got. I thought you were blowing smoke, making him talk like some... well, he really does." Lee advanced, though there was clear hesitation in those steps. He put his elbows on the bar and pulled himself up onto a stool.

"Like an egotistical jackass." It was a scotch sort of day, and he had a nice lowland bottle he'd be willing to share. Maybe it'd put some hair on Lee's chest too, help him out with whatever he had going on beneath that pink gingham. He pulled out two glasses and filled them both with two drams, more or less.

Lee squirmed, like he just couldn't sit still for one fucking moment. Like he had bugs in his clothes or some particularly important news to tell.

"Well. Out with it. Are you in or out? House, or Tops?"

"I'm definitely not pro-House. He's... well, puffed up like a show pony. Reminds me of less pleasant members of the... it doesn't matter. I don't think he particularly thinks that much of me."

"But you gave him the chip, or--"

"It's somewhere. Told him it got taken and I'm lookin' all about for it. He doesn't have any proof otherwise, so he's hangin' on a prayer that I find it. He sure gave me a dressing down for it though. Felt kinda like being back. There."

"So, you have the chip?"

"I don't have it on me."

"Are you--"

"I walked in here to hear your side, seeing as how I stopped you from saying your piece before, more or less. But I sure as shit wasn't about to let you have me, and the chip, unarmed in your suite, up on a top floor, where you're the leader and they jump when you say so. I might not be the brightest, but all my bulbs aren't out, alright?" Lee slammed back the drink.

Benny was too tired to pull back the laughter. He put a hand on his forehead and rested his elbow on the bar table to get a bit of support as the laughter shook through him. "Baby, no. That's not... You don't drink it that way."

"Well how in the hell am I--" Lee coughed again, then pounded along his sternum with his left fist. There were tears again, but this time not for nearly the same reason Lee'd had them before.

"Here's some water. That you can slam back, though you shouldn't."

Lee drank more than half before he finally seemed to regain that southern composure. "You could've warned me about that."

Benny could hide the smirk. He didn't though. "I could have. Being honest, if I'd known that would happen, I wouldn't have. I've had a rough time lately and that made my night even more than your pretty face being here did."

"I'm wounded." The voice fell flat, and those normally bright eyes dulled a little. "At any rate, why don't you show me how to drink that, and tell me what's what with that little chip everyone's clamoring over themselves for."

"Sure. So, what'd House tell you?" He raised the glass, gave it a nice inhale, and savored that smoky aroma.

"I'm not saying."

"Oh, keeping your cards close to the chest, I hear you, babydoll. But if we're to run a deal, I need to know what you know."

"Show me yours, I'll show you mine." There was the look of a man who wouldn't compromise. Or, perhaps, it was the look of someone who had compromised far more than he wanted to already, and so he'd need to be coaxed, real gentle like.

Benny could be sweet, he could be soft and vulnerable if he needed to. He had Lee on his terms now, even if the kid didn't know it. If he could make broads sing, how hard could it be to get Lee doing the same?

Speaking of coaxing though, he sipped just a little, and let the flavor fill him. God, that was what some real Man's Man had done, centuries before, in this very room, wasn't it? They'd have a party, pour some drinks, sit with friends, and enjoy themselves with some of the finest damn scotch there was.

Lee licked his lips. "See, you're sipping that like it's some heavenly ambrosia. I felt like I'd been struck down by God or something. I thought I was gonna keel over right here."

Benny grinned and placed the scotch down. A moment later, he opened his own bottle of pure water and added just a bit to the glass. He swirled it about a bit, then set it back down and leaned over the counter to get closer to Lee. "So, my side of things."

"I'd prefer to hear it, yeah."

"Well, now that you don't have my balls right where I didn't want them, I guess I can go slower and take my time with things."

Lee shifted on the stool, from left, to right, back and forth. "I mean, I was sort of under pressure to make sure you weren't about to shoot my head in."

"Call it what you want. You came through Freeside, right?"

"Uh huh. Walked on through on my way to the front gate. Got kinda lost. It's not a real intuitive setup."

If you couldn't walk out of a paper bag, sure it didn't make sense. "Want to hear more about Freeside?"

"Is it relevant?"

"Baby, would I tell you about it if it wasn't?"

"I don't really know, probably yeah though. You're a real smooth talker, Benny." There came that unimpressed monotone again, none of the dulcet drawl from before. It was a hard cry from how happy Lee had been when they'd first started talking in Boulder City.

"Oh, you wound me." Hand on chest, eyes on Lee.

"Not yet, I haven't." Arched brow.

Fine. He knew when he wasn't winning. He folded and started again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm super interested in fancy alcohol, but when I first tried scotch I wasn't and I did exactly what Lee did. I thought I was going to die. I thought this was it, I could hear heavenly choruses informing me of all my mistakes, as my esophagus opened up a portal into the burning pit of Hell and I was almost sucked in.
> 
> Then I recovered.
> 
> I still don't like to drink scotch. Benny can keep his.


	10. Freeside

As far as Benny understood, the people in New Vegas-- on The Strip and within Freeside-- they used to get along pretty well. He'd never been there before Mr. House's robots descended, but he'd heard from a King or two exactly how bad the Families were for supporting House.

You didn't get by without supporting him though. It was say yes--or say no, broken on the ground. Benny wasn't much for kneeling.

Apparently, people didn't always live like refugees, with children clambering around unsafe streets, trying to catch their next meal. Once, you didn’t need to hire a bodyguard to walk safely.

\---~~~---

This was the right hand to show. Even a few minutes back into the backdrop of Freeside and Lee squirmed with evident discomfort.

But pushing hard would make Lee hard-pressed to give the chip up.

Benny poured him a bit of vodka into that glass Lee had just emptied. "I can stop, if you want."

There was that resolve. Lee took that shot, then leaned in, elbows on the table, and looked right up into Benny's eyes. "No. It's fine. I-I wanna know."

\---~~~---

Kings, Benny could respect them. He didn't like a few of them, and the majority didn't like him and everything he and the Chairmen stood for. But he could respect them.

Kings, as far as the King said it, wanted to be free. Before, they didn't to care if the NCR stayed nearby. They didn't even care about the Families, at first. They didn't want Mr. House going and starting trouble.

It was too bad Mr. House didn't care much about their ideals. He was far too preoccupied with making New Vegas occupied with only those he wanted.

So people died. A lot of people. And robots just kept on saying, welcome to The Strip. Enjoy your stay. Those robots said it loud enough, and close enough, so Kings could hear. Eventually, a dam other than the Hoover broke.

Whether NCR started it with the Kings and other locals, or whether it was the opposite, it didn't matter. People died then, and they continued to die, and it kept cycling around. Even seven long years later, people died in gunfights due to bad blood and broken memories. They were gunned down by Kings, or NCR, or anyone else who might come into town.

There was no law, except Mr. House's. He didn't take anything under advisement. Even the families only talked to him by proxy. No one had even been in that casino in centuries.

And through it all, people still tried. The Followers did their best to help everyone, and little by little people pulled together.

\---~~~---

"It didn't seem an awful lot like people pulling together out there."

"No?"

Lee crossed his arms, looked down at the grain of the wood on the bar counter. "No. Watched a man get burned to bits by a robot at the gate. Had to... Had to figure a way to get in with how few caps I had. Some nice man at the gate, he had lots of advice for me though."

That made sense. Guy gave strangers stimpacks, and those didn't come cheap. He probably stopped to feed orphans on his way over, and that made him get all turned around.

"But I got it sorted after a while."

"Oh, you got all the caps for the credit check?"

"Well..."

He grinned. "Oh, babe, did you find an underhanded way of getting in?"

"M-maybe. I sorta needed to get in pretty quick, I figured."

"Well, if you don't tell I won't. Besides. If I get what I want, there won't be such a huge check to get in. Security is one thing, but making people scrimp and save for years, all for a few days to blow it all away, doesn't do us any good either."

Lee nodded.

This hand really worked out for Benny. He smiled easy and leaned in closer. "Back in the start, it was only 500 to get in. Still, not cheap, but easier. It just meant junkies couldn't come in and scare everyone off. The Strip was still safe."

"How come they raised it?"

"They? It wasn't us, no. House was the one who called that shot, like every other one. You either put up or shut up. And if he had a real reason, he didn't share it with me."

Lee traced a pointer finger along the smooth rim of his glass. "What's the chip so important for, you're willing to risk everything to get it?"

There was the million cap question.

He took that bored finger as a sign, and poured another shot for Lee, then finally took another sip of his scotch. "Well," he mulled over the rich taste, the mellowed notes of ancient oak and caramel, "if he didn't tell you anything, then I should start basic. With that chip, the Legion wouldn't stand a chance. Less than that, the Legion would be one of the first things to go. With the chip, Kings and other locals would have a say in how things were run. With the chip, the NCR could stick around, but it couldn't stick its nose into things that it has no business in."

Lee nodded along and took that shot again.

Seemed Lee handled vodka a lot easier than even a small portion of scotch. Good. Benny put the vodka away though. No need to make Lee so drunk he forgot what he heard.

"If I had the chip, I'd look into the White Glove Society. I'd see if their closets have as many skeletons as I know they do. I'd definitely push the Omertas out of commission. I've seen Fiends with more morality than them. And I'm not saying my guys are choirboys. This isn't a nice clean fairytale, lines aren't that obvious. But we don't pull the junk they do, not even if House allowed it. I wouldn't."

"W-what stuff?"

"Well, for starters. Go ask around, if you want to, about just how they keep their hookers around. Here's a hint, it's not by choice. And if a girl--or guy, hey, pick your poison-- goes and does try to leave, they get served as a reminder to the others of what not to try."

"They... eat the girls?"

He didn't laugh this time, it'd ruin the effect he strove for. But he almost did, and that almost was enough to push him into a very severe expression. "No, but I wouldn't be surprised if that's what the White Glove snobs are into. My gut says yes."

Lee blinked, like someone waking up from a nap. He scooted off the stool. "I have things to think about."

"That right?"

"Mmhm."

"You should be careful where you head. If there's a robot, there's House, watching you. Keep that in mind."

"I will. I just wanna hear some other sides of things. These White Glove people, and those Mertas, or whatever, they sound pretty bad."

"They do, don't they?"

"But I need to know, you know? If this chip's so important, I should know where it'll be goin' to use."

"Understood. But, between you and me? Tick tock, Baby. Lady Luck waits for no man." He sipped at his scotch, inhaled the aroma and enjoyed the heavy notes along his tongue.

Lee licked those lips again, then turned back towards the door. "Can I come back around tomorrow night?"

"If you don't mind Jack at the door patting you down more thoroughly than you did me, sure. I'll be here."

Oh, now that was a cute little blush. "N-no, didn't mind that much. I was less keen on being without a weapon, but I'm nothin' if I'm not resourceful when I need it."

That got nothing more than an arched brow and a gentle waving nudge towards the door. "Well, go on. Feel free to stick around and try your hand at the slots though, or at the tables. Swank could set you up easy with some chips, if you wanted."

Lee shook his head, seemingly resolute in this thing if only this thing. "I'm not much for gambling."

"A real paragon of respectability is you, huh?"

Irritation, and Lee stepped towards the door. "No, I just don't wanna gamble. Besides, I've plenty of vices."

"So far, drinking's the only one. And if it were a hard vice for you, you probably wouldn't have choked on baby's first scotch."

Lee unlocked the door. "Say whatever, I've got others too."

"Like what?"

"Like, likin' pretty faces that get me in trouble." And out the door, he strode.

Benny chuckled and finished off his scotch. Diluted, all the right flavors came out, and it still delivered that alcoholic kick he needed after so long away.

Fingers twitched for a smoke. For the first time in about a week, he had cigarettes in his brand within a moment's reach.

On Cloud Nine, he undressed fully, pulled out a pack from his bedroom nightstand, and enjoyed a smoked right there on his bed. Swank would have an aneurysm, but Benny didn't care. He tapped the ashes into a tray though, since he cared that little bit.

Three cigarettes in, he realized he didn't have to count how many were in the pack anymore. He could smoke as many as he wanted-- ten, twenty, a hundred-- and there would still be more left for him. More than he would smoke in a Mojave travel month, right there in the building, all for him.

For all the idyllic good reasons he should have the chip, that was a big mundane one. He wouldn't even have to want for the little things. His everything would be taken care of. Everyone he cared about would be set for life.

It'd be easy living, and no one to look up to but broads riding him in bed.

Even that thought shifted a bit though when the broad in question looked a bit less broad and a bit more narrow. They bore a particular but pleasant face, big wide eyes, and soft lips that spoke in such a pleasant manner.

He didn't shake the thought away, but he did snub out his cig, and rub one out before he conked off again.


	11. The Ultra-Luxe

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lee can't stomach cannibals.
> 
> Benny forgets a bit about consent when someone is drunk.

The intercom buzzed.

Benny took a moment to push out any wrinkles and smooth himself over before he put the cigarette out in a nearby ashtray and rose to his feet. "Yeah, yeah, I'm coming. Let's put a cork in it." Not that whoever was trying to get through would hear him until he hit that little button.

He leaned against the wall and held the old rubber in, "What's the word?"

"It's that Lee guy. He's here, all bloody. You told me to send him up. Now I'm getting word that Three Families is two. Anything I should know, Benny?"

There was more than a little accusation in Swank's normally swinging tones. Benny sighed, then depressed the button. "I know less than you about that right now. Just send him up, but make sure he ain't armed."

"I doubt he was armed when he went in and put the kibosh on their keisters, Benny. Or maybe he's real good at hiding it." Frustration was clear in Swank's voice, even over the static crackle of the intercom.

"Alright, alright. Did you--" He heard the elevator outside his suite ding. "I gotta go. Kid's here."

"Stay safe." Static turned to silence.

Benny moved to the door and opened it.

Lee raised his fist, held it poised to knock.

Jesus, but the kid was bloody. It reminded him a bit too hard of Nipton, and all that entailed. Benny coughed, and started out, "Hear you made a big splash on The Strip today. I bet you could use a drink to take the edge off."

"I could use something. Ultra-Luxe prices were ultra high. I don't have that kind of change."

Despite the potential danger, he turned his back on Lee and moved back to the bar. "I don't blame you. It's all about prestige for the same damn drinks we serve here, or even over with those finks in Gomorrah. Why pay triple for a double of whiskey?"

Lee settled right back onto that same stool from before and nodded. "Not just that. Did you know they were tryin' to get it so some brahmin guy wouldn't sell his meat to locals, so they could keep things for themselves? That's some of the biggest damn... it's just not right, that's all."

"So you put an end to that business?" He watched them carefully as he poured the whiskey. This, Lee could swallow fast. He'd show the finer details on how to enjoy a good drink later. This was not the time.

Still, Lee looked at the double with some heavy suspicion. "I don't gotta waft this around or something before I shoot it, right?"

"Well, if you wanna appreciate a good whiskey, you should at least smell it first. This ain't like that garbage we were getting loaded on in Boulder City. This is a real man's whiskey." He poured himself out some and lifted his glass up to do just that. Inhale its scent, then slam it back.

Lee followed suit, grinned a bit softly, then wiped away a bit on the back of a bruised hand.

"You look like you've had better days." Benny handed over a water.

Lee nodded, popped the cap off, and drank a little over half before he stopped. "It's funny they wanted to be the only ones selling the brahmin meat though. They had remains of like, five people in the kitchen, and one live one in the cooler."

Well, that made him choke like Lee had the day before. Benny coughed up his water and wiped the drops away with a napkin under the counter. "You've gotta be--"

"It'd be an awful joke if it was one." The voice was flat but strained. "I thought Legion was bad. Least, far as I can tell, they don't actually eat people. Hey, maybe I'm wrong."

"Pretty sure you ain't wrong on that. Legion's got a bigger scope though. Plenty of reasons to hate them more." Maybe another shot would be good. For him, for Lee. He didn't ask, he poured.

Both put the drinks back at the same time, but there was no pleasant toast, no clinking of glasses.

Finally, Benny pulled back to the conversation at hand. "So, you put them out of everyone else's misery then?"

"I might not've. But see, when I went up to shock the guy in charge of the whole shindig, all his people were wanderin' around, canes raised and ready to raise Cain, and I gotta be honest here I did not care for it. When they attacked me for nothing more than coming out early to tell Mortimer off, I lost my temper a bit."

"Can't say I blame you." He binge-drank like he chain-smoked. When he was stressed.

Benny poured them both another double. They both drank.

Another minute of silence, then Lee leaned in real close, looked up into Benny's eyes with his own big greens, somehow smaller looking here. Conspiratorial. "You know, they had that brahmin baron's own son all trussed up in the basement. I spent half an hour convincing him not to starve off the population."

He felt like he might throw up, and it wasn't (entirely) the alcohol rushing his system. Benny leaned in too, for support, and for emphasis. "That's. I don't even know what that is." Words failed, and it took a few tries to get his brain jump-started again. "I was worried when you came. I had no idea how deep it went."

"All the way to the basement." Lee nodded, more to himself than anything, and slumped forward over his arms onto the counter. "This place is twisted."

"It's got a charm. It just needs polishing up. New Vegas could go places."

"I guess. I just went there to talk to them, to get some opinions. No one even wanted me in there. Apparently, jeans and button up ain't formal enough."

What a shocker.

Lee sighed. "So, I guess if I had gone in with their dress code, I mighta made less of a splash. But there'd be no beef to go around for who knows how long, and more people winding up dead in their kitchen." His words began to roll and slur together, but Lee kept himself coherent.

Benny reached out, tapped him on the shoulder. "Well, if it makes a difference, it's a good thing you got rid of them. Might not feel good, but you did what needed done. That was aces, kid."

Lee nuzzled his head against the touch. "Guess so."

There it was, easy as that. Benny stroked that exposed cheek and worked his way through wavy strands of hair. "You look like you're about to fall over."

"That's good stuff, Benny. Real good whiskey." That accent pooled, and Lee looked up with a sloppy smile. "I could go for some more sometime. Maybe... maybe tomorrow though. S'not good to do it all at once. That's how my uncle had to go. Found a stash a vodka from before it all, and down the hatch!" He raised himself back a bit and pantomimed emptying a bottle into his mouth.

"I think it's time to get you on the couch."

"Could use... could use a bit more. Just a bit."

"Nope. Couch. Or, hey, could comp you a presidential suite, since you're doing a real swell job sweeping the problems away."

"I could never be a president." Lee hopped off the barstool, stumbled a bit over the ancient carpet, then collapsed onto the couch and curled up nice and easy against the armrest.

"Yeah? How come?" Benny took the waters with him, certain they'd come in handy. He settled in on the cushion right beside Lee.

"I like men and alcohol way too much." Lee flopped over and splayed himself over Benny a bit.

"That doesn't exactly mean you couldn't be in charge, you know."

"Yeah, but president's gotta be voted for. Who's gonna vote for me? Plus, I'm not a citizen of anywhere."

"Could be a citizen of New Vegas."

Lee glanced up at Benny, then shrugged. "Maybe. It's still pretty... there's just a lot goin' on here."

"That's the way I love it though." That same bold hand set the water bottles on the floor, then worked fingers through Lee's hair and massaged at the scalp.

"Are you tryin' to get somewhere with me again?" A bit of a dubious pull to the voice and around those thin eyebrows.

"You tell me. Your head fell into my lap soon as I sat down."

"Fair. Like I said, I've got my vices." Another messy grin and Lee turned towards him. "You really care about this place though, don't you? Even with all the bad?"

"Baby, New Vegas is all I ever wanted in life. Scars and all. She's a beauty to me. Far as I'm concerned, even if you don't hand over that chip to me, as long as you don't hand it over to some square like House, or lose your marbles and switch to the Legion, you've already done enough."

Lee loosely pulled himself up against Benny, arms wrapped about Benny's broad shoulders. "You really mean that?" Those wide eyes focused solely on him.

"Of course I do."

He breathed easier when Lee smiled and pulled himself fully up onto Benny's lap. He breathed a lot more ragged when Lee pressed a kiss to his neck and inhaled his scent.

"B-baby, as much as I wouldn't've said no to this a few minutes ago, we've got half a bottle of whiskey sloshing around inside us now."

"So?"

"So--" Good point. So what. Well. Maybe. He grinned and pressed a kiss right back to their neck. "So, you couldn't stay away, huh?"

"Guess that's a weakness a mine." Another kiss, another rub, and Lee adjusted himself more fully over Benny's lap.

"You really dig the Benman, huh?"

There pretty green eyes blinked, and there Lee pursed his lips in thought. "Come again?"

"What?"

"Did you just..." A snort, then something that Benny could only hear as a giggle. "Did you just call yourself 'The Benman'?"

"Is there a problem?" It took a decent amount of effort not to spill Lee out onto the carpet, but he managed.

"That's just... so..." Lee tapped him on the cheek. "That's cute, really. Adorable."

"There's no need to be insulting." He pushed Lee back towards the armrest part of the couch and rose quickly as that.

"Aww, no, Benman, wait..." He snickered into his arm, bent over limply over the armrest. "I'm sorry, am I not sayin' it right? Oh, I got it. The Benman, come back!"

"I'm cutting you off. No more booze until you've got yourself pulled together." Meanwhile, he needed another drink. Single whiskey, this time. Though, the bottle all but begged to pour him a double.

Lee hummed to himself on the couch, rolled about a little.

Benny stuck with a single. Lee was out of it, but Benny didn't have to be. He had a good bit of height and weight on the guy, he didn't want to give up that advantage.

"What're you singing over there?"

"S'just a song I learned when I was little. We only had some holotapes, so that's what everyone sang."

"What about new songs?"

Lee bristled. "No. None of those no more. Just, nope."

"How come? That Vault didn't value creativity?"

"Well, they used to. But then someone went and ruined it for the rest of everyone. They made a bad song."

"What kinda song could be that bad?"

"Well... I mean, I don't remember all the lyrics."

"Well, let's hear what some of them are."

"I dunno..."

"C'mon. It's just a song. Lay it on me. Hey, maybe if you sing nice enough, Tommy down in the Aces will have something for you. He's on the prowl for new talent."

"I... I guess I could." Even drunk, there came that bashful side.

Cute.

\---~~~---

"Kid, that is _foul._ " His hand strayed for the bottle, but he picked up his water instead and drank it deep.

"I didn't write it!" But Lee grinned now, split wide over his freckled features. "It ain't my fault you asked me to sing it!"

"Uh huh. You couldn't sing that in Aces, take that crap to Gomorrah if you want."

"Well, I wouldn't sing it publicly, but I dunno... it's got a certain charm to it."

"Yeah, m-maybe." He was drunk, was all. Benny finished the water off and put it on the shelf beneath his bar. "Still, don't go singing that around town. You'll get a reputation real fast."

Lee still grinned and giggled, propped up half upright on the couch, pillow under one arm. "Yeah, I guess I'll just sing it for you sometime, The Benman."

"Kid."

"So, where's this suite again?"

"You're standing in the suite. Did you really drink that much?"

"No, the president one."

"Oh, right. I don't know, baby, you've been pretty sour to me. Maybe act a little sweeter, or you'll be sleeping somewhere else."

Lee rolled his eyes, something Benny was almost used to by then. That sort of irreverence that no one else would level at him, casually handed out by this newcomer nobody.

"Why don't you go get a room in that Vault hotel nearby. You're used to Vaults right?" He realized immediately the teasing remark struck a discordant note.

Lee stood. "Guess I could sleep under the stars. I like that. But I guess I don't mind inside if it's a place big enough to stretch out in."

"So, no Vault for you then?" If his blood had less alcohol, he wouldn't have asked.

Lee arched a brow, then turned towards the door. All that silly happy melted out of him.

Bit of a shame to see that happiness go like it was a bit of a shame Lee left so soon.

Benny moved to the intercom on feet he forced to steady. "Hey, Tony? Tell Swank that Lee should be heading downstairs. Let Swank know to give Lee the presidential suite key. Tell Swank to ring up if there's any confusion."

"You got it, Bossman."

He waited nearby, spread out all akimbo on the comfortable couch. Time passed, but nothing from the floors below. Eventually, the alcohol and heavy conversations of the day took their toll, and he took a ticket to Snoozeville.


	12. Gomorrah

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lee doesn't like Cachino.
> 
> Swank continues to panic about Lee's presence.
> 
> Benny finally gets what he wants, one way or another.

Benny hit the intercom button. "What now?"

"Word is, Omertas just got hit. You wouldn't know anything about that, would you?" Swank again.

Jesus. "It's barely noon." Kid worked fast. He'd finished breakfast and Lee was already a one man wrecking team. "What's the word?"

"No word yet other than that. Some gunfire on upper floors and some people came in through ours, all shook up. Sent 'em out onto the floor, assured them it couldn't happen here. It couldn't, right?"

Swank ran the casino tight, Benny took care of business. That was how it went, but here Swank was, uncertain of his end of things.

Though, a hailstorm of bullets didn't mean Lee had won. If anything, it said something a lot different. This wasn't like Legion machetes or White Glove canes, this was heavy machinery, all aimed at Lee, no doubt.

His stomach churned, and he regretted that gecko omelet Mark sent up. "I'll come down, see what I can do."

"Seeya."

In the silence, he could hear his heart. He adjusted his tie, cracked and craned his neck, then opened the double doors and strode out across the hallway to the elevator.

Benny halfway to Swank's front desk, in walked Lee.

There was that same look he'd worn so stoic in Nipton, a harsh call away from how funny and polite the guy could otherwise be. Lee glanced up at Jack and arched a brow. "Heya, Jack."

"Hey there, pal." Jack stepped forward, though Benny noted the movement was a lot more tentative than years of practice would suggest it should be. "You know the drill."

Lee sighed. "Go right ahead. Don't got any weapons on me today. Couldn't figure out how to get my weapons back from those Mertas."

Jack's shoulders tightened, stiff against the tailored suit. "Y-yeah? Heard someone lay down a real mess over there."

"Someone sure did." Slowly, that chipper little drawl came back. "So, anything new happenin' here?" Lee lifted his arms and did a little shimmy shake before he spread his legs to let Jack do the pat down.

Jack moved real slow, real careful, with firm pats and rubs to ensure a thorough job. "Oh, you know how it swings. Music won't start up top for a while, but the floor and the restaurant's got a busy bit of people."

Someone placed an arm on Benny's shoulder. He didn't bother to look. Benny knew who it was, and he adjusted his tone to be swinging. "Heya Swank, baby."

"He's already here, huh." No small swell of apprehension in that subdued voice.

Benny nodded. "He's been in here how many times and not taken a potshot? I think he's friendly."

"Yeah, a real friendly little deathclaw. Look at Jack, knocking his knees."

Benny stepped forward and offered a bright smile to that little bundle of death and destruction. "Lee, doll-baby. Heard you were swinging real hard over with those finks down the street." He stepped right up next to the little troublemaker and put an arm around Lee's shoulder. He pulled in tight.

"It's like everyone was there, hiding. How come everyone already knows?"

"Word travels fast, especially when you keep trying to make a splash. Come on in, we can have a nice lunch together. Jimmy in the back, he makes the best damn brahmin steak you've ever had. I don't know what magic he works back in the kitchen, but I bet he'd be real happy to thank you for keeping The Strip supplied with our meat."

"Oh, I've already met Jimmy! He's a real nice one."

"You... you have, have you?" He glanced to Swank, then back to Lee. "Well, you really are a social butterfly, going wherever you please, making lots of friends." He angled their ambling walk on towards the restaurant.

"Well, I sent my regards to him the other day on a real lovely meal and he came out and talked to me." Lee nodded up at Benny.

"Ooh, that'd do it." He gave a nod to Swank, who returned back to the front desk, wiping at his forehead with a pocket square.

"So, don't suppose you wanna take me back up to your room to discuss things, after the meal?"

"I'd considered it."

"Well, all things considered, if we could skip lunch and maybe move onto dinner later, that'd be nice. I got stuffed when I went over to Gomorrah, and as much as I love Jimmy's cooking..."

"You got stuffed, did you?"

Lee smacked him in the chest. "Not like that you..."

A few men, his men, stepped out from the crowd and started to close in on the scene.

He subtly waved them off with a hand at his hip and the other still wrapped about Lee. "Alright, alright. We'll skip lunch, head right to dessert."

Lee did that little blushing wriggle again, and he pulled away from Benny. "W-well, maybe. But I was pretty drunk last night, I don't recall all of what I said, but I know it was a lot."

Benny hit the elevator button. Smirk spread wide over his face, he waited for it in silence. No small part of him enjoyed the way Lee fussed with his jeans pockets, or stepped from foot to foot, digging his boots into the carpet. Finally, privacy opened up and they walked into the elevator together.

Alone, he leaned in closer to Lee, whispered, "So, sweet thing, what went down?"

"W-what?"

"You know, with the Omertas."

Lee fumbled at a bottom button on his shirt. "Just, I found a whole lot out about things they had planned. I didn't even mean to do it this time, you know! I was gonna come right over, let you know what was what. But..."

"But what?"

"Then I saw Cachino hit a girl. Just, went right up to her and knocked her right on down the steps. No one even blinked. No one even cared."

"Oh, baby, that ain't how to treat a woman."

"Or anyone, really, but I just got real mad... I don't. I don't really wanna talk about it."

"Are you sure?" The door opened, and out he stepped with certain steps back into his suite.

"All things considered, yeah. Maybe in a bit, but I'm just catching my breath now."

There was all that vulnerability, that layer just beneath sweet and charming. Oh, Benny loved to see that. He closed the door after Lee and moved right to the couch. He took up a spot near the middle of it and put his arms out over both sides of the back. "Have a seat, sweetheart."

"Yeah, alright." Lee sat up a bit closer to Benny than he strictly had to.

Benny wrapped that arm around Lee's back, rubbed the furthest shoulder. "So, what do you wanna talk about?"

"I think, maybe, just maybe, we should talk about what part I'd have in things if I gave you that chip."

All that sweat that nearly ruined one suit, all that bloodshed that left him weakened and in shock, all that alcohol pickling his liver, all the nicotine withdrawal he'd gone through, all of it was worth it for Lee's one rambling sentence.

Benny tugged Lee in closer, put his other hand on Lee's closest knee. "Baby, you could have whatever part you want. Full partners?" He squeezed both hands on Lee's body, at the shoulders, and at that knobby little knee, "Maybe you want a more backstage role. Whatever your pretty heart desires, it could be yours."

"That's all well and good, but I'm talking about what the chip does too. House didn't say much, didn't seem to think I'd understand, and you've been tight-lipped about what exactly it is."

There was the less pleasant conversation. It wasn't he didn't think Lee could grasp it, "Baby, what's it matter, so long as it works?" It was he'd rather Lee not know Benny wasn't, strictly, required in the equation.

"Well, but I wanna know how it works. What's just a little metal chip gonna do to make New Vegas better? How could it? It's got so much bad, right down to the core, as far as I can tell. People don't even blink if someone's dead in the street over in Freeside."

"Like I said, when you're living in your home like it might be your last, you don't worry too much about if someone else is dead. You can't waste that time. It's one of the reasons I want--"

"I know, I know, you want the chip." Up Lee pushed from the couch, and along the carpet, he paced. Hands strayed up, pulled at his chestnut hair, pushed along the scalp. "How though? I wanna help, I really, really do. But how could such a tiny, insignificant lookin' thing do a bit of good?"

"Are you projecting here?" He kicked one foot up onto the coffee table and retrieved a smoke. He lit it up and held it loose between his lips.

"I." Lee slumped his shoulders in something akin to defeat, all the while he glared deep, with clenched brows, at the carpet at Lee's feet. "All I'm doing is hurting people, even if... How can you be bad, to be good? I feel like I'm losing a bit of me every time."

"You wanna know what the chip does?"

"Please." Desperation laced that single word and hitched it into almost a whine.

"It’s some kinda superweapon. No threat would stand a chance if they even dared to knock."

"So, more death. That's the solution?"

Benny puffed out a cloud of smoke, watched it make a tight little ring and float up towards the musty ceiling. "Yeah. There it's sitting like a time bomb beneath the seat of Caesar's skirt. With that chip, Legion would be down for the count. Thousands dead."

"I don't wanna talk about this anymore."

"Maybe you should."

"I don't wanna." A snap, Lee turned his neck sharp. Those same angry eyes focused on him now. "I don't think that's right."

"So be it, Baby."

"You're gonna try something..."

"Nah." Another ring of smoke, though this one billowed more and slowly swirled until it was nothing. "You make that choice, you can walk out this door and wash your hands of it all. House, New Vegas, me."

"You'd let me walk out?"

"You broke through the Omertas and lay them in a shallow grave. You killed all those scarlet skirts in Nipton after me and the Khans were done for. You cooked those cannibal's gooses, you hear what I'm saying?"

"You're afraid of me." Softer now, some of that rage seemed to temper.

"Afraid? Maybe, but mostly I just accept it is what it is."

"And what is it?"

"I can't really stop you. I don't know where the chip is, and I doubt you'd give it up if I used Legion methods."

"I just, I don't think it's right."

"I understand." He swung his leg off the glass of the coffee table, then stood and advanced.

"You do?" Narrowed eyes, coupled with furtive glances to the door.

"Sure, baby. You'd rather do nothing-- let thousands upon thousands of innocents die to the Legion-- than do something and kill some rotten guys all with a choice you made. You've made your point pretty clear." He pulled out his cigarette, tapped the ashes out with a twist of his wrist, then returned it between tight-clenched lips. "Am I missing something?"

Lee took all that time to process Benny's statement, it seemed. Finally, Lee shook his head. "I don't want that either."

"What do you want?" He leaned closer.

"I want things to be ok."

He'd crushed naivete like that before, stomped it out like a used cigarette. In the Boot Riders, and as the Top Chairman, he'd sought that out and turned it away. Here though, it was almost endearing. Like looking at a single bright flower in a bleak desert. It probably didn't belong, but you couldn't help but be charmed by it.

Shame, those flowers never lasted long, unless they grew defenses beyond being pretty.

Benny shrugged. "Then make a choice. Jump in, or don't bother swimming with the big boys."

"How do we use the chip?"

"Let me worry about--"

"I will not!" Up, closer now. Fists balled up at Lee's side and his eyes rimmed red and misty. "How do I do something?"

One misstep, someone wouldn't be dancing much longer. Benny couldn't bet that it wouldn't be him, and it made him sweat. "You trust me."

Lee inhaled, slow and steady through flared nostrils. Then, he nodded. "Alright. So, say I trust you. What's the plan?"

"We upgrade House's security like he wants. Make him think you're on his side. Then pull the rug right out, leave him exposed. You've already been in his pad, you know the layout, you're trusted enough that he'd probably even have you be the one to use it. That's where I help."

"How?"

"Well, I've got a secret weapon. Something that'll let me sneak on in there and program things so he can't control the bots anymore. His securitrons won't be secure for him anymore. Meanwhile, you can sleep easy knowing no more people are going to be gunned down in the street randomly when the robots patrol Freeside too. New Vegas will be safe as houses, like Jack would say."

There it was, that look. Like jimmying a lock, all the pins fell into the right spots and Lee's face opened right back up again. He smiled, "That, that sounds a lot better than what you said before."

He grinned back. "Well, are you in, or are you out? You don't have to make a decision now, we've got some time, but tonight would be good."

"I'd like to know more about what would happen with the Legion. How could just one weapon be powerful enough to topple them all over?"

"Baby, it's not just one weapon, it's almost a million caps worth of scavenging, according to House. Hell, way more than I could count," he relaxed a bit when the light offense on Lee's face eased up. He stepped over to the ashtray by the bar and snubbed out the smoke. "And the weapon’s all tucked in, nice and tight, right under those muscled skirts."

"They don't even know?"

"If they know it's there, and I bet they do, they don't know what it's used for. If they did, and if they had the chip, they could win the war themselves, and it would be goodbye New Vegas, hello whatever twisted idea they have of a city. If you thought those creepy masked men in the Ultra-Luxe were bad, or that Cachino and his band of cockroaches might be awful, wait until you see a whole mess of Legion running a city."

"I-I have."

Hello. There was news. Benny settled in at the bar, this time just for a seat, not for a drink. Not yet. "Wanna say what about it?"

"N-not really. You mentioned Cachino though."

"What about him?" Maybe he would drink. Even thinking about the guy got his skin crawling in a much more personal way than he liked. Something about the rumors of what he did with broads really tunneled deep. Benny had some proclivities he didn't like seeing daylight, but nothing like...

"One of the girls, she told me some of the things he'd done. I found out, before it all happened so fast, I found out about some plans."

"What plans?"

Lee poured himself a drink with an unsteady hand. The neck of the bottle tinked against the glass several times before he finished with the vodka and pushed it over to Benny.

\---~~~---

It happened too fast. Just, Cachino hit the woman, and down she crumpled, right there at the bottom of the stairs. Lee didn't know his legs could carry him so quickly, but then he was right beside Cachino. Then he was above Cachino. Then Cachino was dead.

He hadn't liked the guy anyway. He heard the whispers, even only an hour into this hellish place. He knew what the journal said, Cachino had written it himself. Cachino talking didn't help either; the guy was as likable as a deathclaw eating a baby.

Blood on his hands, he turned to look at the single guard that came his way.

It wasn't like he wanted to kill. But he did.

No one else was around. No one would be, this early in the afternoon. Things heated up at night, he'd been told.

He moved quickly.

\---~~~---

Lee sighed.

Benny waited, aware of just how tense Lee always got if interrupted. But after a long stretch of moments, all woven together so tensely, he cleared his throat. "So, you offed Cachino? No real loss there. Guess Big Sal and Nero didn't take it too well though?"

"What? No. They were already dead."

Oh. "Come again?"

"I tried working with Cachino. I didn't much like him, but he told me there were things going on. Bad things. Worse than... well, the bad things he was doing." Lee swung his feet hard against the bar front. Back and forth, those legs shifted. "Said, sometimes bad things happen when you're trying to stop worse things. But he wasn't trying to do that. He tricked me."

Dangerous waters. He knew enough not to pull for Maria. Lee was talking, it was all just thoughts aloud.

"He just wanted to hurt girls and get away with it. I thought... I thought everything was sorted, that everything was squared away and even though he'd been awful, he said he'd change. But he said it in the diary too." Lee squeezed his glass, held it white-knuckled in his hand.

"Keep gripping that glass, you'll get shards." It was a joke. It was not a joke.

"He did horrible things. Awful, awful things to girls. I couldn't even read it. Not like in that song I sang you, I mean, bad. And Clanden? He was worse. Way worse. He..." The hand tightened on the glass if anything. Then there came the blinking, the heavy breaths, and the signs it was all too much.

Benny had seen it before. In Lee, in others, in himself once or many times when he was alone and unsure of where to go next. He put a hand on the bar counter beside Lee's, but not on it.

Lee sighed. He seemed to focus better. "They were gonna gas everyone. They were gonna take over The Strip. I don't wanna be bad like that."

That night Lee had collapsed, that night he had cried, Benny had hoped not to see a look like that again. People didn't have to cry. It didn't fix things.

But then, Lee stopped crying, and he grit his teeth showed the whites at an angle behind curled lips. "They were more foul than anything I happened upon in that other casino. So I killed those men, and maybe I--" that voice cracked, and moist redness colored the whites in his eyes, "maybe that is wrong. And maybe I'm just like Cachino, thinking this is the last time, every time. But I don't think so. They wanted to murder everyone around. Just for power. There was no, how to help, there was no, let's fix this place up. It was nothing but death."

He'd known they were bastards, but he hadn't realized the angle was so sharp. Benny finally poured himself a glass. He downed it back and nodded. "That's fucked."

Lee half smiled, then laughed. It wasn't funny. But it was hysterical to Lee. He wiped the back of his hand up against his ruddy blotched cheeks and he sniffed hard. Moisture shone on his cheeks in the dim lighting. "You know, I-- yeah, it is. I wanna help, and I'm just gonna keep doing what I'm doing, I think. 'Cause, when you say you love New Vegas, and you wanna make sure things are good, I believe you."

"I do."

Lee turned himself fully towards Benny, hooked his foot over on the bottom rung of Benny's stool, and leaned in. "I know. You wanna know the funniest thing though?"

"What's that?"

"I didn't feel a thing, when I killed the men after Cachino. It's like, something went off in me, and I just. I wanna feel bad about it. I really, really do. I don't wanna be a killer." He pulled his feet from the rungs, then stepped down onto the carpet. "But I am, I think. And if I'm doing what I can to only hurt those that need hurting, isn't that... good?"

"I think so."

"Chip's in my back pocket. Has been every day. Jack never takes it out though. Apparently, it don't feel like a weapon, despite being one way worse than any others I've ever held."

Record skip, heart stop. Benny swallowed hard. "You've got it on you?"

"Of course. So, where do I put it?"

Benny blinked. "Well. I'll tell you."


	13. Lucky 38

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lee just does not care much for House at all.

"Uh, Benny?"

"What, Swank?"

"Company's on its way. He looks pretty ticked about something. He barely let Jack pat him down."

He did not check that Maria was where she always was. He knew it. Benny stood, unlocked the door, and returned to the bar. Any motions he made there could be covered under the guise of making a drink for them both to enjoy. That was how this worked.

Lee didn't knock. "Benny!"

"Door's open."

And in Lee stomped. "I cannot even believe what that egotistical-- jackass!-- of a man said. He spent a whole damn hour wasting my time, wasting his."

"So... wanna talk about it?"

"Yeah, I do!" Lee lifted himself with ease onto the stool and kicked idly, yet aggressively, at the bar front paneling. Dull thuds punctuated Lee's words. "Can you even believe how fulla himself he is? He talked to me like I was some naughty toddler, having taken so long to bring him the chip."

"Sounds like him. He's not a fun guy to hang with, that much is sure."

"No, he ain't. I couldn't get a word in, and even when I asked him about what he wanted to do with things he..."

\---~~~---

"What do you mean 'what do you wanna do with this chip'? Do you not understand how important this chip is? I suppose I can't blame you for that. Very well, let me put it to you simply. This chip is a key. And that key opens the future of humankind. With it, I can put down the wasted lives of those in the desert, and I can rebuild New Vegas as she was meant to be."

"Y-you mean, killin' people?"

"I shouldn't think you'd bluster at that. After all, you somewhat ritually slaughtered two of the three 'families' that I entrusted to New Vegas. Which, I might add, I am rather irritated at. I do wish you hadn't gone and caused so much trouble. It won't be difficult to replace them, as there are any number of savage tribes that could use some civilizing, but the timing is rather off. I suppose such is how it is, with this little chip."

Lee tried to keep the red out of his vision, and he internally repeated a rhyme he'd learned real young. One two, buckle my shoe, three four, shut that door--

"Oh, apologies, it seems even a simple explanation is a bit too much for you."

Even with just a photo for a face, Lee hated that face. That arrogant, controlling face. He smiled though, "No sir, I was listening. I was thinking about it all, is all."

"Of course you were. Now, be a good one, and insert the chip into the little holder. Yes, that one there."

"Well, before I do that I've got some questions."

"And I will have answers. I could even frame them simply for you. But only after you've obeyed. Put the chip in, and then we can carry out a conversation at your leisure if you like."

He did not grit his teeth. He smiled, nodded, and moved to put the chip into place. Right before putting it in, right before he could all but see the sweat on that screen brow, he paused. "Could you tell me how come a guy who wants New Vegas bright and shiny and good, why you put cannibals in charge of one spot, and rapist Legion men in charge of others?"

"I beg your pardon?"

Lee stepped back. "Well, y'see, Sir. Thing is, I don't really like fighting. I never did much when I was tucked tight in my Vault, and I don't particularly like it now. But I've seen things. And I don't much like what I've seen. You asked me when I got here, what did I think about New Vegas, and I said it was real pretty. But I don't see that much anymore."

"When I have full control and everyone knows it, I assure you I can make it shine. Under my orders, people will actually have meaning in their dim lives."

"People seem to have plenty of meaning now, and seems like, from what I've heard--"

"I don't care what it 'seems like' to you. Put the chip in, and understand you are doing this for the fate of humanity."

\---~~~---

"You alright?"

"I'm fine," Lee said, gripping the empty vodka bottle like a weapon. "I'm just great."

"He's a real piece a work. But you got the job done."

"I did. It wasn't even hard."

"So his words, they dug in right up under your skin, right? He made me feel the same way when I'd talk to him. I'd itch for a week after talking to one of his bots."

"He called people savages. Not for being awful, or torturing people, or anything like that. Just for living. For trying to cobble something together and live peacefully out there."

"I'm surprised he even called them that. Implies they're people, not animals. Believe me, I've heard it before. I was something of a... well, apprentice, I guess."

"He called you a protege. I asked what it was and..." Lee carefully placed the bottle, upright, on the bar. Then he pushed it away from him with an easy nudge. "Ignorance isn't a bad thing, if you seek to rectify it. Asking questions, that's important. What kinda self-important, puffed up..."

"House does, baby. You're right. Asking questions, that is a huge thing. He shouldn't've treated you so bad."

"I didn't even get to the 'best' part." Lee glanced over, and there was that wild look again.

He thanked Lady Luck that look didn't seem to be aimed in his direction, even if Lee looked right at him. Right through him.

\---~~~---

"What's an autocrat?"

"There's a dictionary that should still be in excellent condition, albeit perhaps a bit musty, in the suite I've given you access to. Why don't you look up the words I say in there, and perhaps we can speed this process along?"

\---~~~---

"No. No, he didn't."

"Oh, Benny, that's not the worst part. Oh, ho ho, no no, honey, that's not the worst."

\---~~~---

"I see. Well, alright. Guess I'll go look them up." Lee still held the chip, very close to the device House wanted it in so badly. "I just, I like learning."

"Yes, a trait to be cultivated. I'm sure, given time, you might actually amount to something very useful to me. But if you want the payment, right now, you should do as you're told. Questions have a time and a place. Now is not it."

"It's just, it sounds an awful lot like, if you were in charge, you'd get people exactly like before. Those Mertas and the cannibals."

"You came here with a plot of some sort, didn't you? I must admit, I didn't think there much beyond that soft expression of yours, but I see it now. Very well. What is it you want, more money? Is that how I can get your acquiescence finally?"

"Yeah, see, I just wanted your side of things. And seems like, your side of things is stomping all over people just trying to live their lives. And seems like, you don't mind putting horrible people in charge, so long as they listen to you. People down there, they're suffering."

"I have sacrificed everything, done everything, for this city's well-being! Your implications that I--"

"I think I know what an autocrat is though, even if I never heard it before. It's a selfish man, who answers to no one, and does whatever he wants because he thinks he's smarter than everyone else. You're so logical, how come you put a buncha dirty traitors in casinos and made them play dress up and thought that would work out? How come you're so sentimental about 'the old days' you just go and--"

"That is quite enough! Put the chip in, or I shall be forced to use--"

"Force? Sure, go ahead. I came here, willing to give this another go. I've had the chip the whole time. Figured, I'd see if maybe you were the one who should have it." He turned towards the securitrons. He smiled.

"Don't you try something foolish. It will be your last mistake."

"Oh, Sir, I don't think it will be. I've got lots of mistakes left in me, but this ain't one." He pulled out a pulse grenade Benny had supplied and made short work of the robots that turned on him. The ball of light and arcing color was a pretty one, especially set against the cold metallic color of the robot and the sterile white appearance of the penthouse. The scene was pretty as a picture; he wished he could take a snap of it and get it developed.

He moved on after the lights passed. Fingers tapped at a terminal, then another, to get into the chamber where he figured House was sealed away.

Hunch proved correct, he tossed another pulse grenade at some advancing robots and waited for them to keel over.

Down the elevator he went, humming a little tune to himself.

He'd felt bad, so bad, for all those things he'd done. But this one, it felt personal.

Mr. House was going to die.

He'd only ever seen old people on The Board before coming to the surface, no one else lasted that long. Seeing House though-- shriveled, grayed, frail-- he almost felt bad.

"Why... have... you done... this?"

He almost didn't answer. He almost put a bullet into their head and let them wonder about it in the afterlife, whatever that might be. But no.

Lee stepped up closer, examined the nearly corpse before him. "Because you aren't the future. You're lookin' in the past. And people in the now are getting hurt. Innocent people."

"Are you... the arbiter... of justice? Is that... what you thought... you did? Murderer."

He shot them, twice, in the head. Then Lee left.

The securitrons didn't even fight him anymore, those that were left. Victor and that lady robot were gone, so he just saw himself on out of the casino.

\---~~~---

"So, here I am."

"And there Yes Man went. Baby, you did it. That's cause for celebration, right?"

"So how come I feel so angry?"

"Because you probably don't wanna feel good right now."

"I do! But I just can't make this... feeling go away."

"You wanna feel good?" Benny stood, stepped right up behind Lee.

"I do."

One hand worked on their shoulder, while the other stroked down his spine. The moves were slow, with fingers and thumbs that worked in tandem with one another to relax Lee as best as Benny knew how. "So how about this?"

A little moan, a little roll of Lee's head from side to side as he settled into the touches. "That's nice. But, Benny."

"Yeah, baby?"

"What he said about me being an arbiter... do you think that's true?"

Tightrope act here, but he was an agile thinker. "Baby, I think you did what was right. You don't like it, I don't like it, but what you did needed done. What else could've happened?"

"It's just... back in the Vault, that's kinda exactly... that's the line of thinking that got me booted. One person, or a few people, decide what's bad." Lee craned his neck a bit, to look Benny in the eyes. "I don't wanna be them, and I don't wanna be bad, and I don't wanna be all these things and I'm kinda thinking maybe that's happening anyway."

He pressed his chest up against Lee's slight back. "Lee. Tell me something here, and be honest."

"Yeah?"

"If they didn't cannibalize people and plan to gas up people on the streets, would you have killed them?"

"Well, maybe not, but how could I know?"

"I planned to shoot you in the head, and you know it. Am I dead for that?"

"No."

"How come?"

"I don't know?"

He sighed, and pressed his chin down onto Lee's scalp, felt the thick hair against his stubble. "Really? Do you really not know? Because if we're going to have a partnership in this whole, building a New Vegas everyone can love and live in, then I gotta know you're not going to just pop a bullet in my head. I wouldn't want to spend our time together paranoid."

"You seemed sorry. You seem it. You've had a ton of times you could've done something, lots of things, to me. You didn't. That doesn't seem like--I don't know why you'd do that if you were gonna hurt me. And you care about New Vegas."

Sweet naivete, but it worked out for him fine. Benny nodded, felt the hair brush up against the pulse of his neck. Arms wrapped around Lee's chest, strayed down his lithe form to the belly below. "You're good, sweetheart. Asking yourself those questions, thinking hard about it, the world would be better off if more people acted like that, let me tell you. Hell, seeing you in here talking about this all and opening up, makes me think I need to do a little more of that myself."

"Yeah?"

"I'm practically choking up here. That's forgiveness I'm hearing, and honestly? It feels nice, especially considering how much of a fink I was there in Boulder City. I saw it coming, but I couldn't be sure. I'm glad though, really." He moved his head down to their shoulder, turned a bit and breathed against Lee's neck. Palms pressed against Lee's fluttering belly.

"I'm glad too. I wanna talk more, but maybe not on this. I think I wanna cool down."

"Oh, are you getting too hot?"

There came the flush, brighter this time around. Maybe it was just the alcohol. Lee shook his head, "Just a bit warm."

"That collar's pretty tight, babydoll. Maybe you should loosen it." Benny's hand dipped lower. It stroked Lee, right through those tight jeans. "Maybe you should loosen these up too. Want some help?"

"Yeah. I mean... yeah, though."

Push and pull with them, wasn't it? He hadn't been fully on board back in Boulder City, but in the suite he had a hard time keeping himself off the one who'd brought all his plans on together in a neat little bow wrapped gift.

Lee lifted up and spread his legs a little to give Benny's hand more space.

"Why don't we take this back to my room?" Benny squeezed Lee, reminiscent to how Lee had squeezed him all those days back. It felt like months, really.

"I wanna." Lee nodded vigorously.

"Well, c'mon then. We've got all day, but I'd rather not wait another minute." Back he stepped, extracting himself from Lee. "Follow me." He pivoted on those wingtip shoes and strutted his way back to his bedroom. Now that Yes Man wasn't there any longer, he could bring Lee back there and not have to worry about occasional comments from the helpful little bucket of bolts.

Lee didn't follow after immediately. He stayed at the stool.

Benny only stopped when he was at the doorway, and he lounged up against the frame and crossed one leg over the other, real cool like. "C'mon, baby. What's the holdup? Got something besides that blue striped shirt you still wanna get off that pretty chest of yours?"

Lee stood up, but his movements were a bit unsteady. "I'm up, I'm up." Slow stumbling steps turned to quick ones, and he seemed to gain speed and aimed himself in Benny's direction.

Benny stepped aside, and let Lee rush on past him onto the bed.

"I think I drank too much alcohol."

And the kid called it a vice. He wasn't very good at it. "Nothing a bit of water won't help."

"I think I should lay down."

"You already are. You should unwind a bit. All that stress, it can't do you good." He undid his own tie and set it on a hook, then started with his jacket and button up shirt.

Lee twisted a bit on the bed, pulled the covers into wrinkled piles. With a sigh, Lee crawled up the bed and put his head right on the pillow. "Maybe just a nap. It's been a lot lately. I've been... too many cramped places. Doing too much stuff I don't like. It's nice, being in a big room like this. On a nice comfortable bed, too." The words were dangerously sleepy.

Benny stepped out of his shoes and placed them under the bed. "C'mon, baby. Let's keep those eyes open, right?"


	14. Benny's Suite

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Benny gets lucky with Lee. Benny gets less lucky later.
> 
> Swank takes up smoking.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a doozy of a chapter in terms of length, but it's got all sorts of fun stuff inside. Like sex. And Swank.

Benny blinked awake.

Big eyes looked over at him, and a tiny glimmer of a smile spread into a wide happy sideways split. Lee wriggled a bit closer, turned on his side towards Benny. His hair curled in a mess around his head, dark browns and little bits of reddish. "Mornin'."

Benny blinked again. "Morning." He flopped onto his back and stared right up at a patch of something or another on his ceiling. Eventually, he'd let someone get in there and fix it, but for months he'd not let much of anyone into his suite.

So what did it say about him letting Lee there? In his bed even?

"I guess I kinda conked out before we could have any fun." Lee reached one leg out, ran a sock covered foot along Benny's bared leg, right there beneath the sheets.

A smile trickled over Benny's face and he glanced over. "I guess you did."

"Wonder what time it is?"

"Probably night. Doubt we slept right through, but hey, it wouldn't be the first time I did."

Lee reached one hand out, rubbed it along Benny's bared, lightly haired, chest. Two thumbs tweaked at Benny's nipples. "Well, maybe we could skip dinner and head right on into dessert?"

The smile didn't fade. "Baby, now you're speaking my language. C'mere." He reached out and tugged Lee right over him.

There came a delightful little laugh, and Lee nuzzled against his neck. "I was worried you'd be mad. Keep gettin' you all excited and then stopping."

Mad? No. Annoyed? Well, he still had a hand or any number of broads to get with, but yeah. Little bit. "No, baby, of course not. I knew you'd come around to the Benman."

Lee outright snickered against his ear. "The Benman returns."

"Don't you start. I will kick you right outta this bed."

Lee offered a series of apologetic kisses, all along Benny's throat, right to the pulse point where he always dabbed on his Aqua Velva. Lee paused and nipped at the flesh. A moment, a lathed tongue over Benny's neck right up behind the coil of his left ear. "I'm gonna show you just exactly why I got kicked out."

If he hadn't already been hard, that would've gotten him stiff. "Just how naughty are you gonna get?"

Lee hummed a few lines of that filthy little song.

It was a good thing his boxers gave him a helluva lot of room to grow because he felt like he'd shoot right there. "Baby, that's dirty."

"Guess we should keep this our little secret then. Unless... you don't wanna play?" A pout on those precious lips coupled with arched questioning brows.

"Oh, you know I wanna." Hands boldly groped along that firm body, along the curves of the spine, down to that plump little bottom. "Let's get these off."

Lee reached back and tapped Benny's hand, "No no, we took all that time gettin' to know one another. I don't wanna rush it now."

"But Lee, baby, I'm already practically naked here. A stiff breeze and I'd pop right out."

Lee blew on his neck, right where saliva from kisses and licks remained. It cooled and heated all in one move. "Just how I want you. Now, you're gonna be good and lay back for a while, right?"

A more cynical Benny would say this was a trap. The current Benny, blood flow to the brain choked out for a bit of a fun time, gave a grin and nod. "Sure thing, sweetheart. You show me what you want. And if I like it, I'll show you a thing or two."

"Oooh, is that a challenge? Well then... Benman, I accept."

Someone else, he'd have already taught them to think twice before mocking that name, but somehow that pretty smile shook the irritation away. "Let's see what you've got then."

Lee dragged his hands up from the bottom of his shirt, all along his stomach. Even beneath the thick fabric, Benny could see that stomach quiver.

It made Benny quiver a bit too, and he twitched right up against the clothed cleft of Lee's ass. His own hands roamed that back, though he didn't try to undress it anymore. Fingers enjoyed the soft rub of the fabric and the firm feeling beneath it. "Such a pretty boy, shame anyone else ever turned you away."

Lee stiffened, but not in the way Benny wanted.

Benny massaged right up to those slight shoulders. "Their loss."

The ghost of a smile brightened, and Lee bit his bottom lip, as nimble fingers worked the top button and loosened Lee's collar up a bit. "Your gain, is it?"

"You are. So, how about you show me how nice that chest is? Give it a little shake, would ya?"

"Mmm, maybe later." Lee ground his pelvis down against Benny, right along Benny's exposed belly. The hardness beneath thick rough jeans was a pleasant contrast to how soft Lee's everything looked above.

"Aww, you're killin' me, baby." He watched those deft fingers undo the last shirt button.

"Not if you don't give me a reason to." Lee flared his shirt back, then rolled it down his back and arms with a little shoulder rotation, ever so slowly. "You won't, right?"

"Of course not." Even if he could see that flicker of bright danger in those eyes, it only added to the pleasure. Benny wouldn't lie and say he didn't like a bit of adrenaline to mix with the heady sexual cocktail he enjoyed.

Lee flung the shirt away, then stroked his hands all along his chest down along surprisingly tight abs, until both hands teased at Lee's slight treasure trail. "Wanna see more?"

"Baby. Do you need to ask?"

"I do." One finger traced along the face of the jean button and teased a slow circle around the shiny metal.

"I want to see everything. C'mon, don't be so cruel. I've been good to you--"

"Have you?" Amusement cracked that somewhat seductive gaze.

" _Lately._ Let me finish, would ya? And here, you scolded me so much for interrupting..." Benny groped Lee's bottom, thumbed along the back waistband and sought to feel just a bit of flesh there.

"You have been good lately, _I guess._ " Lee popped the button, peeled the zipper down, and rose up higher over Benny's stomach. He arched forward, and pulled his cock right on out, just for Benny to see.

Benny pulled himself out from under Lee a bit, until he could push himself up onto his elbows and examine that cock a bit better. "Whoa, Baby."

"Like what you see, sugar?" Lee was bare beneath his jeans. His cock jutted out proudly, turned a bit to the left. Where folded skin should have been, just the bare head showed. Several beads of white slickness rolled right along the tip.

None of the Chairmen had theirs cut, but he wasn't so out of it that he didn't realize soon enough what it was. He adjusted himself a bit more, until he sat upright like Lee, and could pull the other down onto his lap firmly. "Looks great. Can't wait to see how you use that tool, sweet stuff."

"Well, was thinkin'." Lee tapped his chin with one hand, stroked along his cock with the other. "Maybe since you like using that nice mouth a yours so much..."

It wouldn't be a first, exactly. He wasn't opposed to it, exactly. But it took him a moment to consider before he leaned in and sucked at one of Lee's pink nipples. After a bit, he worked on the other nipple, sucking and pulling at it until it hardened just like the other. "Like that, baby?"

Lee ground his cock against Benny's belly. "Benny..." Long fingers pulled pared nails down Benny's broad back. "I was thinkin' a bit further south."

"I bet you're usually thinkin' further south, with that accent of yours."

That got a snort before Lee pressed his head right up against the apex between Benny's shoulder and neck. "C'mon, don't you wanna make me moan? Get me all worked up, so hot for you before you plunge on into me?"

Well, when Lee said it that way. Benny flipped them both over so Lee lay beneath him, spread out so beautiful on the bed.

Lee groaned low, then gave a smug satisfied look up at Benny above. "I'll take that as a yes." Fingers pulled their way through Benny's hair, mussed it up.

Benny didn't mind, not when those pads massaged so intimately at his scalp. Besides, if he had his way, they'd both shower together after. The hair would be fine. A single problem was he had a feeling this was something Lee had a lot more practice at than he did.

Never one to full-stop when he could roll on ahead, Benny gave it a long lick, from the warm wet tip, right on down to that base that stopped where the zipper parted.

"C'mon, I know your mouth is talented. Show me what you can do." The words came out breathy, clouds of whispers that floated above Benny as he went down.

Slowly, he gained confidence and put himself into it with that same aplomb he tried to have in everything. Benny parted his lips, not to reply, but to show. Yeah, he could be great. Scratch that, he could be the absolute best.

His tongue felt a bit cramped for a bit, pressed up against the line along the underside. He shifted it about and pulled back a little, then moaned when Lee's fingers dug into his scalp in such a nice way. That only got more scalp pressure, more bucks up against his mouth.

Fingers roughly urged him back down, until he had half of Lee in his mouth, but Benny didn't mind it a bit, so long as Lee didn't mind it back.

Benny scratched soft pink lines along Lee's chest and belly and bobbed along the cock in his mouth, trying to find some good rhythm that wouldn't leave his back feeling a bit cramped and his jaw feeling sore.

Despite his best efforts, he couldn't find that right perfect way of doing it to make it more comfortable. Still, he didn't mind when every time he went a bit deeper or sucked a bit harder, Lee gave him such pretty little moans and uttered such soft filthy little phrases.

"God, you've got the sweetest lips, Benny." Lee bucked up a bit further, pressed down with hands wound up tight in Benny's unkempt pompadour. "Such a pretty blush too. I wanna see what you've got hidden in those little shorts of yours. C'mon, give it to me."

He pulled off with a loud pop and slid himself along Lee's body until his barely concealed cock twitched hard against Lee's newly released one. "Let's get those jeans off." With that line, he pulled back until he was between Lee's legs, lifted Lee's ass up a bit, and pulled those jeans up those slender legs. He tossed them off to where the shirt rested.

"Naughty man." Lee splayed himself out along the mattress, clearly meant to be seductive.

Maybe otherwise it might look a bit silly, but Benny needed this, and just about anything Lee did would get him ready to take the plunge. "You look so good, but I bet you'd look better with my cock in between those soft lips."

Lee licked the lips in question. "Think so, huh? Why don't we find out?"

Benny crawled right up their stomach, chest, and until he straddled those freckled shoulders. "Go on, take it out."

"A present? Just for me? I'd say you shouldn't have, but it's a long time coming and I earned this." Just like that, he popped the button and pulled Benny out. "Hmm."

"Hmm?"

"Forgot people up here don't look like ours." Just that soft little statement, a momentary pull from the moment, before Lee leaned up and took Benny all in.

Benny gripped the headboard, curled his fingers and thumbs tight against the wood. "Damn. You don't go by half, do you?" But he didn't complain, how could he? Not when Lee's nose nuzzled against his underwear, pushed past a bit and nestled along the thick patch of pubic hair. Especially not when that throat vibrated and Lee moaned like he was the one being sucked so nice.

Lee lay his head back once more until his lips settled around the tip, before he arched up and took the rest in. Hands groped at Benny's ass, partly for the support it seemed, and partly because Lee seemed to want Benny stripped all the way.

With a thought for mercy towards Lee, he pulled back, then rolled off of Lee and moved to tug off the striped cloth. He flicked it with his wrist over towards Lee's clothes. "Now, what was that about wanting me in you?"

"You heard me." Lee lifted his knees up, ready for Benny to get back in the right position. "I wanna feel that nice tool get to work right here." It wasn't a subtle gesture, with a middle finger curled up at Lee's entrance.

Benny had the experience with backdoor entrances in more than one way, and he nodded and reached for the nightstand. "Hold that thought, babe. I've got what you need." A squeeze tube of petroleum jelly, barely grayed with age on the outside.

Lee looked up with no small amount of curiosity. "What's that?"

"Lube?"

"Yeah? See now, that's just fancy. Here, I figured we'd go spit and fingers."

"Well, you're better than some broads I've been with. If I tried that with them, they'd up and go, I don't mean maybe."

Lee huffed. "I'd _prefer_ to use that, Benny. I just got surprised is all."

He cracked a grin and squeezed some out over three outstretched fingers. "Of course, I was only teasing."

"Uh huh. Your mouth's good at some things." The flat tone reminded him of the many times Benny had tried to cover for a slip and Swank hadn't been amused. Still, there was no denying the physical reactions stayed positive. Lee spread his legs wider, settled deeper against the bed and looked up with brimming excitement.

He brushed Lee's own finger aside so he could rub a dollop of the jelly right along that entrance. Though Lee had just toyed inside himself a bit, Benny found the fit a bit tight even with jelly on his first finger. "Jesus, Lee. When's the last time you got a bit of hey hey?"

Several successive blinks, before Lee finally inhaled a deep breath and replied, "Come again?"

"You know, when'd you last get a guy in your bed?"

"Vault." Lee lifted one leg up before Benny could blanch too much, and wrapped it about Benny's shoulder. "Now hush, and spread me nice and wide so I can feel you all in me."

"I--"

"Hush." The same finger that had played at Lee's entrance moved to his lip, and he motioned for Benny to be quiet. A moment later, that gesture changed, to Lee licking down the finger and along the curve of skin until he licked up to the end of the next one.

Well. Funny how a bit of licking, not even on Benny's body, got him at attention again in more than one way. Benny nodded and pressed a second finger into Lee after a bit.

Lee puffed out a sigh and his eyelashes fluttered shut. "That is so much better than spit."

How many men could Lee have been with inside that Vault?

"C'mon, please don't stop. I wanna... I wanna feel it." Lee reached down, fumbled a bit for Benny's cock. Quick pulls ensured Benny got right up to full mast within moments.

"And here you said I needed to be patient." He chuckled and pushed a third finger in. "That feels great, doesn't it?" Fingers shifted and pushed, attempted to spread Lee as slowly and pleasurably as he could without any complaints from the other, given how Lee seemed to want to sprint through their sexual marathon.

"I am patient--Oh, Benny. Oh, God, please _I wanna_..." Lee lifted his other leg onto Benny's shoulder, then pulled Benny in with them hooked together. "I wanna feel you in me. I don't wanna wait."

"How am I gonna say no?" He leaned in, reached down to aim himself up with that nice spread hole. "Love hearing you beg, baby. Gets me real nice and hard, all for you." His head pressed up against brief resistance before it slid inwards. Inch, inch, he dipped deeper into Lee until he felt his pelvis press up against that pert bottom. "That what you wanted?"

Lee didn't answer, hadn't said a thing between Benny entering and Benny bottoming out. His jaw hung open and let out quiet little moans and whimpers. " _Fuck._ "

Hearing that word sent a spark through his back, shocked him forward harder into Lee, before he rebounded almost out and held there.

Fuck indeed.

Lee's legs were very strong, despite how they appeared with jeans on. They shifted down to around Benny's waist and forced him back in as far as Lee could make it go. "C'mon, don't tease."

He didn't have to ask twice.

Benny set to work, speared Lee on his cock, pushed right up into them until that freckled face was nice and sweaty and pink. "This is what you've wanted for days."

"Just me?" Lee briefly opened his eyes and grinned up. "You're an innocent party here, or what?"

That got an outright laugh, but he made up for it with a few quick thrusts. "I can't remember the last time I was any kind of innocent."

Lee smirked, but it shifted with a particular push and Lee let out a low, needy whimper a moment later. Nails pressed pink half-moons into Benny's arms, then threatened to pull at the skin along his forearms. "Harder. I want it!"

It didn't take long, between the rough pace Lee seemed insistent on with both muttered and moaned words, and his legs and arms pulling at Benny's body.

He'd get up later, of course, and they could go again. But until then, he panted and plunged and finished off as regularly as he could with how erratic his body insisted he go.

Finally, he pulled out and rolled over beside Lee. "Baby, that was a damn good lay."

Lee whimpered and pulled at his cock. "Finish me off, and I'll say the same." He panted, pink-faced.

Ouch. Putting that approval up on a shelf, making him reach even higher for it. Fine, though. Benny reached over and almost leisurely tugged along Lee's length.

Lucky, Lee didn't take long to pop. White rivulets pulled out in ropes and splashed over Lee's belly, but he didn't seem to mind. That tense stomach finally relaxed and heavy pants turned to more regular breathing. "Alright, yeah, you got me. That was pretty good."

"Damn good."

"I dunno, I feel like we could get better with practice. I'm withholding full judgment until then."

Benny snorted, then rolled off the bed. "Let's get cleaned up and see what Jimmy's cooking. You worked up an appetite in me, kid."

\---~~~---

Lee talked to Jimmy real enthusiastically over his meal, while Benny strode over to Swank to see what had him looking so grim.

"You know what he did in the Lucky 38, right?" Glances around, though everyone seemed content to simply eat their meals and not eavesdrop in an obvious way.

He nodded and crossed his arms, tapped a foot. "He told me about it, yeah. Would you relax? I've got this under control."

"Benny... baby, you know I'm with you 100%. I'll give you and The Tops my all, always have. But this is a lot. He's a lot."

"Don't I know it." Benny chuckled.

Swank's face was as easy to read as it had been way before he was even known by that name.

Benny felt his spine go the way of the ramrod.

"Benny, baby, I know you didn't get down to _business_ with him."

"I'm a _business minded_ guy, Swank. Besides, what's it to you?"

"What's it-- what's it to me?" Swank shook his head and turned towards the front desk. "Benny, it's been weeks. Can we talk, private like? I'm thinking, you must have some big picture thing going that I don't have a clue on, and man would I like one."

"After dinner. Which I'd be eating, if you hadn't flagged me over like something was actually wrong."

Swank inhaled. It was his best effort to calm himself down for when he got like this. He gave a shaky nod. "Sure, sure, whatever you say. I just hope the Chairmen don't get on the receiving end of one of his surprise visits like the other Families and House did." With that, he tapped Benny on the shoulder, gave it a tight squeeze, then stepped towards his territory at the front desk.

Lee wouldn't. Benny had already established that. Lee just wanted to do the right thing, and having Benny be in charge was that. Everyone could agree to that.

He returned to his steak, a bit twisted by Swank's everything. The guy didn't have the facts, that was all.

As soon as Benny was seated, Lee looped a foot about his ankle and gave him the bedroom eyes. Which, admittedly, wasn't all that different than most of the looks Lee gave him, just with the addition of a knowing smirk shared between the two.

"Maybe after we eat we could go... roll in the hey hey?" The smirk turned into outright amusement, and Lee covered it barely with a bite of the grilled brahmin steak.

Benny couldn't help himself, he laughed right before he could get his own bite in, and had to set the fork down. "Hey, you know, I like that. I'm keeping that. And uh, we could. I'm definitely not one to complain. Though, maybe we could keep things on the discreet side of the street when we're on the casino floor? I work here, so it could get a bit tense, you know?"

Lee unhooked his foot immediately. He swallowed the steak and took a long sip of water. "Sure thing, Benny."

"Just, people talk, you know." He lifted the fork once more, raised that bloody rare piece of meat up to his mouth. He let Lee chew that thought over while he looked only to his plate and did the best to catch up with his meal.

Halfway into Benny's steak, Lee placed the napkin over his own empty plate. "I think I should head over to my place now."

"Oh, the uh, suite I told Swank to give ya?"

"No. Mr. House gave me access to one as well, before he went and got himself killed."

There was a certain stringiness to the words. It made them tougher to swallow than the things he used to eat out in the Mojave. Benny set his fork down, "Well, you don't have to run off."

"It's alright." Lee stood, smiled dimly, and gathered all his utensils onto the plate, arranged neatly, for the busboy. "I'll be back around tomorrow, if that's alright with you."

"Of course it is."

"Good. And maybe we could talk about where we go from here, because I've gotta be honest with you, Benny. I don't like standing around waiting, thumb twiddled and calloused, until something happens."

"I just said we need to be more discreet, not that--"

Lee arched a brow. "I meant for plans? New Vegas? The whole reason we've been meeting up?"

Oh. Benny nodded. "We can talk tomorrow, all you want, baby. You know where I'll be."

"Where you always are, yeah." Lee turned and walked right on out of the restaurant.

\---~~~---

Swank did not smoke. He especially did not smoke indoors. He most especially did not smoke Benny's brand indoors. Yet there he was, doing all three, right there in Benny's suite, right there on his comfortable worn-out couch.

"You know, when I sent you up ahead, I didn't figure you'd swipe a cigarette."

"Five." Swank coughed a bit, still unaccustomed to smoking. Those normally steady fingers shook a bit, cast stray bits of ash onto the couch and carpet. He glanced down at the cigarette clutched tight between his bottom knuckles, and nodded. "Baby makes six. I can see why you smoke these. Tried a shit brand a few years back, never even bothered to try another until tonight."

Uh oh. Benny moved to the bar, going for a drink to lure Swank to his usual vice of choice. "You're pretty torn up, lately."

"He seemed real pissed when he left, Benny. You know anything about that?"

"He's not gonna do anything. It was just a little... blip. Barely even worth mentioning, baby. Don't worry so much."

"Yeah." Swank inhaled, a long drag of smoke pulled in through his mouth and nostrils before he pushed it all out. "So, you must have a plan. This guy, he's what, some kinda human weapon? You call the shots, he takes them?"

"Something like that." He leaned in over the bar, waiting for Swank to come over like usual.

Swank stayed right where he was on the couch, smoking in deep pulls instead of drinking the same way. "And you're sleeping with him?"

"Yeah. What of it?"

Swank laughed, and coughed, and laughed some more when the smoke cleared. "What of it, you say. Oh, Benny, I know you're the smart one, but he's got you all worked around. How about, how long's the last relationship you had with a pretty thing that came into the casino?"

"That's different."

"Yeah? Why? You think you won't chase after the first set of cans with gams a mile long? Remember Rachel? It took a month to clean up that bloodstain. It wasn't good for business, having it right there on the main floor."

That had been unfortunate. Rachel hadn't taken kindly to seeing Benny palming another girl. The other girl hadn't taken kindly to being punched. Benny never even got that other girl’s name (or to see what she looked like under that slinky gown.)

"It'll be different, because I asked him to be more discreet. And I'll be more discreet. Besides, I never had much in common with those broads. At least Lee and I have business to do, not just the euphemistic kind."

Swank ground his cigarette into nothing but a dirty ashy filter right into the ashtray. "Well, I'm sure that'll be a real cakewalk, keeping control of him. He's not a Chairman, but I know you know what you're doing. It's all part of the plan, right?"

"If you've got a problem, say it to my face."

"You've changed. I don't know if it was Legion, but you've changed. You lock yourself in your suite, you don't eat, and then you leave for weeks and leave me to figure everything out myself. That ain't what a leader does."

"Swank, you know you're my right hand--"

"And is Lee your left? This-- this nobody dances on in here, smiles for all, and slaughters half The Strip, House included, and I'm supposed to keep letting him come in because you're getting your willy worked?" Swank stood now, with a dangerous coil to his body.

Benny knew the stance. Every Chairman knew the stance. It was a Boot Rider fight stance.

He didn't counter the stance with his own. He poured two vodkas. He even poured a bit of maraschino juice into Swank’s, just how his guy liked. Sweet, but with a powerful punch.

Slowly, Swank seemed to unwind. "You've changed."

"People do."

"What's the plan, Benny?"

He pushed the drink closer, then looked right up into Swank's deep brown eyes.

Those pupils were dilated so hard, the black almost blurred into the white, with only a thin line of brown to separate the two.

Swank stepped towards Benny, with carefully measured steps. "You gotta understand, Benny, what it looks like. One month, you're all locked up, tighter than a virgin's legs, then you're all cheery fine down on the floor, acting like nothing happened. Suddenly, you've gotta go, and no, you don't need Chairman heat. Then I get word you're running with Great Khans--"

"Where'd you get that word?"

"You've got the only checked suit in Vegas. A blind man could spot you riding the Mojave, from miles away. If all you found were Legion men out there, I'm surprised."

"It's not."

"What happened out there? Give me something, anything, to work with." Swank leaned over the bar, his face so close to Benny's, his eyes pleading like that tense voice.

"Lee was supposed to be dead by now. I was gonna do it. Turned out, he's a lot more useful alive than in a low grave."

"S-so, wait, pull it back. You wanted to kill him, but he's alive and running your errands now, is that what you're laying out?"

"Something like that."

"Does he know you wanted him dead?"

Yes. But something said saying it aloud would get more histrionics than he wanted. Swank could worry like a lady, sometimes. Not that it didn't have its uses; Swank managed and micromanaged the floor so it ran smooth and easy, and Benny appreciated that. He just didn't like that panicky microscope honed in on his business dealings.

"Benny. Does he know?"

"He does. And he still figured the Chairmen were the best ones to run with. New Vegas is gonna roll, independent like. No Legion stomping us and no NCR outlawing and taxing all the fun outta life. No House telling us what to do and where to go and letting finks into the place."

Swank tipped back the vodka and Benny followed suit.

The glass sounded loud against the counter when Swank finally lowered it. "And all that, you've planned all that, and you never told me?"

"You worry too much, Swank. You'd give yourself a heart attack. Last thing I needed is for my favorite guy kicking the bucket too soon, right?"

"Oh, well, at least you're here looking out for my well-being, boss. I wouldn't want to be left out without a reason."

"Don't you think that's a bit outta line?" A warning here, but softer than it might otherwise be.

Swank shook his head. "No. A few months ago? If I heard another Chairman talking to you like this, I'd do him in myself. But no, Benny, I don't think I'm outta line. I wanted to think this guy did something to you, that Legion did something to you. But I'm wrong, right? You've been changed, and hoarding secrets even from me, for months. Maybe years. I know I don't get to know everything, but being in the dark and still expected to put on my Swank Smile and pretend everything's fine, that's not what I signed on for."

"What're you saying?" Harder now, he leaned in until their foreheads nearly touched.

"I'm saying, if you want to ignore one hand to wash another, you go right ahead." Their foreheads did touch.

Seven whole years, and Swank never even implied he'd want to challenge Benny, or leave. Seven whole years, and he'd taken that all for granted. Rage swelled with concern, and he couldn't decide between the two.

Benny took a step back, "The door’s open, if you wanna go."

"I don't. But I will if I have to. Though, maybe I shouldn't say it. You'll have Lee spike my drink with psycho, or maybe just have him kill me right when I'm on the floor. I thought taking care of Henry was bad on my part, even if I was following orders. But now you just send Lee in, a regular one-man army, to wipe up your problems."

"I didn't tell him to wipe up the other Families. He did that on his own."

A bitter, shaky laugh. "Well, Benny, that makes it all the better. There's a smiling psycho who crawls into bed with you. How could that possibly go wrong?"

"He's under control."

"And slaughtering the Omertas and White Gloves. I'm sure he really likes us though, so it'll be fine. Time was, you'd change his tune to a funeral march. I guess times really do change though."

"Omertas were lining up to suck at the Legion's tit, and those masked bastards were cannibals working to keep any of us from enjoying a good steak. If they should've stayed, then hey, you and I have different priorities. I said Lee didn't do what he did because I asked. But I'd have asked, if I'd have known what was what."

Swank sank down into a stool, face suddenly impassive, elbows hard against the counter. "For days now he's gone out and come back a killer and I had no idea why. You coulda leveled with me."

"And what? Have you go tattle to House?"

"Excuse me?" Bared teeth. All that expression sparked right back.

"I've heard those front desk lines, day in day out, years in, years out. Baby, you know and I know you were lined right up with him. If I told you a thing, where would you have headed?"

"I'm loyal _to you_ , Benny. _Who_ told all the others to shut their jaws when they started complaining right at the start? _Who_ picked out the dissenters and told them to hit the road, while you were getting ready to get this show going? _Who_... who gives a shit, right?" A crooked smile, and shake of the head. "Benny. You're killing me, and I wish I could say I wasn't worried that you would."

"I wouldn't."

"Well, that's just a load right off my pretty little head. Guess I should just go back to the front desk and tell all the broads and fellas that walk in to not worry, that we won't allow slaughter to happen in our casino. Even if we let the one doing it walk around free."

"Is that what people worry about?"

"Obviously. It's my casino, Benny. You run the business, I run the floor. That's how it's always been. How am I gonna do my job when you cut me off?"

A knock sounded at the door. "Benny? It's me."

Swank clenched his fists. Lips pursed real tight, before he sighed and all signs of stress dissipated. On flashed that same front desk smile he always managed. "Well, guess that's my cue to settle down. Just remember, Benny, the boys won't believe I kicked the bucket with psycho. Hardest thing I touch is vodka, and that doesn't lend itself to overdose in quite the same way, baby." He tapped the bar, then headed towards the door.

"C'mon, Swank, don't be like that."

Swank offered a wave over his shoulder and opened the door. "Heya, Lee! Good to see you, pal."

"Oh, hey Swank!" Lee peeked around Swank to Benny. "Everything ok in here?" Eyes glanced back up at Swank.

"Oh, just real swell. Don't you worry yourself, sweet thing. Just gotta go work the floor. My job never ends." With a quivering laugh, Swank stepped to the elevator. A moment later, the gears and cables shifted and sounded Swank's slow descent.


	15. The Strip

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lee meets someone new. 
> 
> Benny plans. Benny panics.

"So, I leave and I'm headed to the 38, right?"

"Uh huh." He sorted himself out with nothing more than a simple brush of hands along the seams of his jacket. Better, he returned his full attention to Lee and away from Swank's little. Performance.

"And so this guy in a big hat comes over and starts askin' for a moment of my time. And I... well, if I'm being honest, I was pretty mad leaving here."

"Yeah?" Swank hadn't been blowing smoke then. Well, he had, but just literally.

"So I say maybe another time, and he grabs my arm, right? Right there on the wrist." Lee lifted his left wrist, as though Benny really needed the visual. "So I tell him to be real careful, and let me go now. Or else. So he starts yapping, saying 'the mighty eyes of Caesar' are upon me, or some nonsense."

"Oh god. What'd you do?"

"Well, I guess, I got to thinking that just killing isn't so great in public. It's different when it's Nipton, or with those Mertas. But there were NCR and others around, I just..."

"So what'd you do? I'm dying of anticipation, kid. Let's hear it."

\---~~~---

"I'd prefer his eyes look elsewhere, all things considered." Lee tugged his arm away. "If you know so much about me, then you know maybe more than one a you shoulda delivered this message."

The man swallowed, the sides of his throat puffed out a bit and pulled back in tight. "I believe there is an old phrase that's applicable."

Lee tilted his head. "What's that?"

"Don't shoot the messenger."

With a slight chuckle, Lee nodded, "Yeah, but I prefer my fists or a blade any day. But go on, what's this message?"

The messenger in question took a moment, then nodded and started right from the top. "The eyes of the mighty Caesar are upon you. He admires your accomplishments, and chooses to bestow upon you this Mark, despite your crimes against the Legion and Caesar himself." A breath.

Lee interjected. "Oh, I've committed crimes, have I? Tell me about that."

Red pooled behind the skin at this Legionary's cheeks and forehead. "As I said, your crimes are the killing of Vulpes Inculta and his men, the--"

"Wolf guy? Big dog on his head?"

"That is... yes, him."

"He attacked first."

Another deep breath. "Regardless of the circumstances. To provoke an attack from him, or to be the attacker, he is dead and you are responsible."

"I don't much like that justice system. Seems to me, you crucify and torture an entire town, you kinda get what's comin' to you when someone stronger blows into town and shuts that down." Lee leaned closer, looked up into that face. "But I guess I'm not being fair. After all, you're just the messenger. Couldn't be one of those fruitmen."

"Fruit-- you couldn't possibly mean frumentarii?"

Lee snapped his fingers, "That'd be it. Yeah, how am I gonna know this isn't a trap, especially if you're one of those guys?" He began a slow circling of the guy, who remained facing forward.

"I am simply a messenger. Caesar requires your presence at Fortification Hill, he bestows his Mark upon you. Your crimes in the past are forgiven. This forgiveness shall not be extended a second time."

"That right? Boy, sure is lucky, being pardoned like that. I was just about to go on over to the 38 and cry myself to sleep, thinkin' the Legion didn't like me."

"You ignorant--" The whoever he was inhaled, "I have delivered my message. Caesar requires my presence to inform him of your choice."

"Come find me again in an hour, right here."

"You." He inhaled, licked his tongue across dry lips, then nodded. "As you wish."

"Make it two though, because who knows where the night's gonna take me."

"As you wish."

\---~~~---

"So, he's out there just waiting for you?" He'd tried not to interject that whole time, but here he couldn't help it. "This spy doesn't belong out on The Strip, but you left him?"

"Yeah. Probably, he changed positions. He seems like the kinda guy, he'd try to blend in and walk over if I did."

"Probably." Scotch in one hand, cigarette between his lips, he stepped around the bar and wrapped a hand about Lee's waist. "I'm glad you came to me with this."

"Well, I figured me being mad you don't wanna touch me none in public ain't really fair, even if I do think it's cowardly and pretty damn spineless of you." Said with that same casual sort of tone that a conversation about the weather might take place in. Of course.

Son of a bitch, Swank was right about that too, wasn't he? "Baby, you know I'm not ashamed of you, don't you?"

"Nope. Seeing as how you were just fine touching me in bed, and in your suite, and suddenly you didn't wanna, no, I don't know that. Telling ain't showing." A forced pleasant voice, but it started to get tense. "Anyway, that's nowhere. I wanna talk about what to do about this guy. Thought about just killing him and snubbing the invite, but didn't you say Caesar was sitting on a weapon?"

"That he is, baby, that he is." He wanted to roll back to the outright insults, but he couldn't, not with Lee having switched tracks so easily. Bastard. Lee did it on purpose, that much was clear. Still. Benny pulled his cigarette free, sipped his scotch, returned the smoke, and settled into the couch beside Lee. "If we could get that chip in, we could plant a bomb at their own invite."

"Unless it's a trap."

"Think it is?"

"Well, I kinda asked the guy."

"You-- Lee. I know it's a constant refrain, but baby, you're killing me. You can't just ask a spy if they set a trap!"

"Why not?"

He smoked a bit harder.

\---~~~---

"So, what exactly does he want with me, he's makin' such a big deal about everything?" Lee leaned into his accent, played it out as thick as possible. It seemed to make this one uncomfortable.

"Caesar has chosen not to give me that information." They kept their forward stare, locked into place with some distant spot on the Strip.

"That must sting. You get sent in to see the guy who up and snapped your boss' neck like they were snappin' sticks, and Caesar didn't even let you in on the situation?"

"It is... My Lord, mighty and brilliant as he is, makes the correct choice for the situation."

"Oh, sure, sure, no doubt there. Probably figured if he didn't tell you he was setting a trap, you wouldn't know it, and then I wouldn't either."

"I assure you, he does not offer his Mark lightly. To make it a trap would be to cheapen future extensions of his Mark."

"Wouldn't wanna be cheap." Lee stepped right into their personal space, made it more his than theirs. "How come you came and found me here?"

"It was not difficult finding you. You make your presence quite known."

"Well, I wasn't asking that. How come you came and found me _here,_ right as I left that casino back there?" He gestured to the spot they stood at, then motioned towards The Tops.

"It has come to our understanding that-- that you frequent this place often."

"Is that what you were gonna say?"

"Yes. Of course."

"Uh huh. Well, listen, you just sit yourself down somewhere comfy and wait for me. I'll be back around." He tapped them on the shoulder and squeezed it a bit harder than strictly necessary. "Seeya soon." He pulled back, offered a loose smiley wave, and headed right on back into the Tops.

\---~~~---

"He sounds like he was pissing himself the whole time."

Lee chuckled. "I'll be honest, it felt good. Guy was a real... I do not care for Legion. I honestly think I like them even less than Fiends."

"Shit, yeah?"

"At least among them it's not some twisted sense of morality. That just..." Lee shifted, crossed his arms tight across his chest. "I think Legion's been watching me a lot harder than I like though. Upsets me I wouldn't be able to pick that guy outta the crowd, he's so boring looking. The only thing settin' him apart from any gambler was that ridiculous hat."

"Ridiculous how?"

"At least four sizes too big for his head is how. I know it's not easy to get a new hat, or a fitted one even, but I managed. Course, I lost my hat on the way here."

"I was wondering about that. What happened?"

"I'm not the best caravan player that ever lived, much to my shock. Lucky, they just wanted my hat instead of the caps I didn't exactly have. They've probably got it hangin' on the wall of their little set up, a trophy or a warning, take your pick. Half of me wanted to keep playing, see if he'd take other things but..."

"Naughty boy." Now he had that idea in his head though. Strip caravan. It wasn't a game he liked, but he could come around if given the right motivation.

Lee grinned, tilted right back into Benny's embrace. "Yeah, can be. At any rate though, what're we gonna do about this 'Mark' nonsense?"

"Use it?"

"Well, ok, but if it's a trap, I'm neck deep in Legion country, and they'll want to do a number on me. That's not a plan."

"Use it, but pack a bunch of Stealth Boys?" He'd dreamed of a chance like this, like he'd dreamed of a chance like taking out House. If he had to use Lee as a proxy for doing it himself, then that was close enough. Took him out of the splash zone a bit.

"Ok, so, Stealth Boys and stimpacks, is that it? Hope I don't take so many machete whacks I'm done for?" Lee arched that little left brow, and glanced right up at Benny with a somewhat accusing fall to his lips. "That doesn't sound like a plan."

"I just found out about it, give me a minute, would ya?"

Lee sighed, and his frustration shifted a bit as he nuzzled closer. "Yeah, fine. I just got real irritated, that guy coming up and bothering me like he did. Can you imagine? Wouldn't even let me get back to the 38 for a bit of rest. No, had to grab my arm. Practically thought the guy was dumb enough to try and mug me or something."

"Lucky him he didn't."

"Pretty weird to say lucky the guy was Legion, instead of just being a nobody thief."

Benny put out his cigarette in the nearby ashtray, then finished off his scotch.

Lee shrugged. "So, what'd Swank want?"

"Oh, he just wanted to talk a bit." He wanted another cigarette and more scotch, but Lee was pretty set on laying right over him and keeping him from his vices with the appeal of a different one.

"He seemed pretty upset."

"He was all smiles, you musta been projecting, kid."

"Uh huh. I don't think he likes me."

"He likes you fine, trust me. He's just... he's got a real nervous disposition. Guy takes a while to warm up to new people."

"Probably doesn't help I come in, looking like a killer every other time I come in. I keep having to buy new shirts at Mick & Ralph's if I wanna look respectable."

"No, that uh. That doesn't help." He carefully peeled Lee from him and moved towards the bar. He was drowning his liver these last few days, but that was fine. "I think you should go. If luck's on our side, Caesar will let his guard down just enough you can sneak into the bunker and set up all those bots."

"Then what?"

"Then, if those bots don't attack right off, we set them up to come out and take out as many Legionaries as they can when NCR and Legion finally stop toying around at the damn dam. Baby, can you imagine the look on old and ugly's face when he realizes he got played?"

"I can. Thought I'd feel bad, planning something like this."

He paused his scotch pouring. Which was fine, he didn't want to pour too much anyway. "And do you? Are those little heart strings getting plucked here, kid?"

"Not really." Lee was up too, and soon he leaned against the bar, with his elbows and palms pressed against the wooden top. "I just want things over. If that means I'm the one setting a trap, then alright then."

"Good. Then I say you strut your stuff downstairs, pull that guy aside, tell him you accept and you'll see Caesar soon."

"I guess. I just, I'm not much for being a spy, Benny. He'll probably figure it out."

"Y'know, he probably figured that out when you came right back in here to talk to someone. Caesar might be a tool up on a hill, but he's not an idiot, and neither are those spies of his. Just trust that you'll be better at this whole thing than they are."

"How?"

"Because we're rigging the game."

\---~~~---

Benny heard the intercom buzz and all but tossed himself from the couch on his way over to the box. He pressed the button. "Heya, what's the word. See Lee yet?"

"No, but you know how you said to keep an eye on Swank?"

Tony's tone set his blood cooler. "Yeah?"

"Well, he left a few minutes ago after Grayson said something to him."

Oh. "Know where he went?"

"Looks like he went past the second gates. Might be anywhere."

"If Lee comes by, tell him to head right on into my suite."

"You got it."

Silence cut through the static and once more he was alone to his thoughts. Benny didn't quite run into the back room, where Yes Man stood, there as Benny's personal window onto the Strip while Lee was gone.

He pushed the door open and stomped over to Yes Man. "Any word on Lee?"

"Oh! Lee! Of course, he's on The Strip right now!"

"And you didn't tell me?" He stepped right up against them, eye level with their false smiling face. "What are you even here for?"

"Oh, you're right, I should have modulated my voice to be loud enough those on the floors beneath could hear me. Next time, I'll know what to do."

Emily had done a bang up job giving him a bit of an edge, for all his cheerful facade. Reminded him of a certain someone. Benny let it go, this time. "Where is he? Is he on his way?"

"Oh, no, I don't believe he is, not to The Tops at least. Yes, your closest Chairman, Swank, he sure does have a way with words, doesn't he? He might even give you a run for your money, with how he convinced Lee to follow him to a place I couldn't see. Gee, I might worry about that, but then again, I'm sure they're both fine! Why worry, right?"

"Where'd you last see them?"

"In Lee's suite, of course! Or, at least, I saw them both get on the elevator, and then my neuro-matrix detected that the elevator stopped at the appropriate floor. He disabled all cameras and recording devices for that floor, so I'm basically as ignorant as you are about the situation. Not that you're ignorant! You're brilliant!"

Benny dug his heel into the floor, twisted about, and headed towards the exit. "Can you make the elevator out of service until I go there to use it?"

"Oh, I sure can! Gosh, this is exciting. It sure feels clandestine to go against both of your friends so that you can see what they're getting up to when I can't. Not that that's a bad thing! I'm sure you have very good reasons."

Benny pulled Maria out but put it back a moment later.

"Oh dear, I've gone and made you angry. I am so sorry. I'll do better next time."

"Yeah." He left Yes Man alone.

A knock at the door made him run, in hopes it was Lee somehow.

Tony stood there, a bit sweaty, but otherwise normal. "Hey, Jack says a customer said they saw Lee go into the Lucky 38, with one of our guys. Must be Swank."

Benny tapped him on the shoulder and laughed, then pushed past him and shut the door behind them both. He moved to the elevator. "Yeah, I heard. Thanks for the update."

"Everything ok, Benny? Thing's've been a bit... weird, lately."

"Oh, sure, Swank and me and Lee had a meeting planned and things got a bit miscommunicated. You know how it goes." Damn. Tony wanted to ride the elevator with him.

"Well, I'm glad I could help, if I did."

"Sure, Tony, you helped a load. Now, why don't you go get yourself a nice thick steak from Jimmy, and I'll get to that meeting."

That got Tony's little mind all wrapped up in thoughts of food, instead of focused on tension within the Family.

Benny could breathe a bit, when Tony left and went his own way the moment the elevator stopped on the bottom floor. Not one to call much attention to himself, he stepped casually through the lobby until he was nearly there at the exit.

Jack stopped him with a smile. "Oh, heya boss. Good seeing you up and about, you've been cooped up for a bit."

"Yeah, looking to go for a nice stroll." He attempted to sidestep Jack.

"Oh, yeah?" Jack followed a few steps after him. "So was Swank. Must be a real nice day outside, to get you both stretching the legs out like this. Been a while since I've done that myself..."

"What can I say, I'm a guy who appreciates the simpler things sometimes. How about, next week we'll make sure to give you some time off to yourself?"

"And that's what I love about you, Benny. You're always looking out for us." Jack slapped his back and sent him right on his way.

Benny didn't run out the door, and he certainly didn't set more than a somewhat brisk pace down the walk. He heard a few sets of whispers, that this was Benny, the new one in charge, at least until and unless someone else took that spot.

One woman tried to stop him, and with how low her dress went in the bodice and how high the skirt hem rose, he wanted very much to get to know her how she seemed to want to know him.

Still, he gently extracted his arm from her simpering embrace and whispered an apology against her milky neck, "I've got business to attend to, baby."

"I could attend to your business..." One hand fell down along the front of his jacket, until it caught at his newly forming bulge. "I could make it worth being late, Big Benny. I could make all your dreams come true."

Again, he stepped back. Desolate, he slunk away and headed back towards the Lucky 38. "Sorry."

She pursed her lips in irritation, then turned her back to him.

He'd had that happen before everything, though rarely outside of his own hotel. People who saw the suit, they knew it was the coolest guy in New Vegas. Normally, he loved that. Here, he couldn't help but wonder what had happened inside the 38 in those few moments of distraction.

Nipton flashed before his eyes. This time he did run. Still running, he pushed past the front doors and stepped, for the first time, into the ancient casino.

Mold hit his nose. Dust layered on thick after it. He coughed, despite years of smoking preparing him for this. Face nuzzled into the sleeve of his suit, he rushed to the elevator terminal. "C'mon, Yes Man, don't let me down now."

The elevator dinged, and doors opened for him. In he stepped.

The ride up, he tapped his sole against the floor, impatient for the damn doors to just open already and let him out.

Finally, he heard the cables slow a bit. A moment later the box stopped and those ancient doors slid open and released him.

Here, things felt a bit more cheery. Still somewhat musty like the bottom floor, at least they seemed more like Lee.

He heard voices in the distance.

"No!" Swank's voice.

He ran. Tie slapped back over his shoulder, suit jacket pulled and strained a bit at his chest. "Hey!" He slammed up against the door frame, skidded to a halt. "Swank! Lee!"


	16. Fortification Hill

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alerio has an extraordinarily bad day.

Lee held a glass of wine up and glanced at Benny from a spot pressed up against the wall, seated in an old wooden backed chair. "Benny!"

Swank arched a brow. "Benny." He sipped his own wine and eased his posture back in the chair. One leg kicked up over the other, and Swank lifted his glass. "Funny timing you've got, Benny. We just got into the best part of the story."

"Oh, yeah! I went and got the Legion all taken care of for now." Lee took a slow sip of the wine. "Why don't you have a seat and I'll tell it... from The Tops!"

Swank snorted into his glass and all facades of irritation shifted into amusement. "Kid, you tell the worst jokes."

"Aww, you don't like my jokes? But they're my... Aces in the sleeve!"

Benny relaxed a bit, even chuckled at that one. "That stinks, Lee."

"Oh, if you both wanna be no fun, fine." He huffed, but only for a moment, before he brightened and pushed himself forward a bit in the chair. "So, bet you're excited to hear what happened."

"It's what I'm here for." To make sure they didn't kill one another, to hear what happened with Caesar, both, really.

\---~~~---

He saw the frumentarii immediately at the top of the hill and gave a wide friendly wave. "Heya, Fruitman! Came like you asked. Where's that Caesar, I wanna go see what's the what up here."

Red as a bright Dandy Boy Apples box, that spy in question swallowed and said, "I'm not-- you may find the mighty Caesar within his tent. Follow me."

"Fruitman, what's your name, anyhow?"

"It's Alerio."

"Huh, kinda sounds like that Old World disease. What was it again?"

Some man nearby barely held in a smirk. "Malaria?" He offered.

"That's it!" Lee snapped again, pointed right at the helpful Legion man.

"Lucius! It sounds nothing like that." Alerio barely held the sneer off his face, though it eased when he looked to Lee.

Lucius, as it turned out to be, just smirked. "Caesar awaits your arrival within. I see you didn't bring any companions with you. Good. Only you are allowed to enter."

"Well, had this nice quiet guy who wore a hat, kinda pretty colored like y'all's skirts, but he parted ways with me after we cleared out Quarry Junction. You know, deathclaws, they're meaner than sin itself." He moved past Lucius, lifted the tent flap just enough to look on in. "Through here, you say?"

"Yes." Lucius' smirk had gone from smeared over his handsome older face, to twisted up a bit. He coughed, "Through here."

"Gotcha. Well, don't mind me. Had a helluva time gettin' here, I'm the worst navigator that ever lived. I'd lose my boots if I didn't sleep with them on."

"I see."

"Alright, well, nice talkin'. Seeya," He patted Lucius on the arm and ambled right on in.

\---~~~---

"Tell him about that part where one of those skirts asked Fruitman about why he got called that."

Benny chuckled and began to rummage about in his pockets for some caps, to hand them over to Swank.

Lee grinned, "Yeah, I know, I know, hold on." His hand tapped Swank's wrist and squeezed.

\---~~~---

"Fruitman, is it? I certainly didn't realize you were a farmer. It does explain quite a bit about you, though." Lucius spoke as Lee entered the tent.

Alerio seemed tweaked beyond indignant. "I-- He's an idiotic Vault dweller."

"Oh, but surely you did something to give him this impression? People rarely make assumptions based on nothing. Caesar would say it himself."

"It sounds similar enough to _frumentarii_ that I can see how some ignorant degenerate--" Something must have caused Alerio to cease calling Lee that, and a moment later he continued, "that Vault dweller... I told him I was undercover and I was a frumentarii there to deliver Caesar's Mark."

"That can't possibly be all."

The tone said Alerio grew quite tired of this, but it also said Lucius was probably some form or another more powerful and Alerio preferred to keep things somewhat peaceful. So, he lied. "Fine, I told him I was undercover as an apple salesman. Are you quite satisfied?"

"Oh, not enough to not tell others about the unfortunate mistake our courier guest made."

\---~~~---

It was clearly a funny story. Lee seemed pleased telling it, Swank laughed and seemed to have a gay old time, and Benny managed to smile.

Lee hadn't scolded Swank, Lee was drinking wine with Swank, Lee was touching Swank's hand.

He stood, "Hey, have any water in this place? My throat's more parched than the Mojave."

"Sure, Benny, right on through those doors, there's a kitchen. Got it all fixed up nice and pretty, thanks to selling a few snow globes to some robot lady when I first came into this place. See, got them right up there on that shelf."

Sure enough, three were right there. "Huh. Why would anyone collect these?"

"Can't say, but I got a nice 6,000 caps from it, so I'm not about to complain. If there's one thing I liked about House, it was he paid as handsomely as that computer face of his. Too bad about his personality. And looking like an angry dried potato when he came outta that pod of his."

Swank whistled low, "Whoa, now that's some mad cash you pulled in, kid. Just for a few snow globes?" Swank glanced back to the shelf and sipped his wine slowly. After a moment, he caught Benny's eyes and smiled. "Hey, if you're getting water anyway, mind grabbing me a bottle?"

"Sure thing, pal." He did. He returned from the kitchen to them laughing, again.

He'd been so worried that they'd kill one another. Turned out, maybe that'd be easier to deal with. Benny wasn't sure why though. So he drank his water and watched them talk from his spot up against the pool table.

\---~~~---

The man was frailer than Lee expected. There, on his fancy chair, surrounded by important seeming Legion men, he waited for Lee to come forward with an impassive look in his eyes and stretched over his tanned face.

"Well, here I am. Aloria went and told me to come see you. What can I do you for?" He stepped forward, put his hand out to shake.

Several men held weapons, as though to use them. Caesar lifted a hand and waved them away, then opened his thin lips and spoke, with a tone that dripped condescension. "So, you're the one who caused so much trouble for me and my Legion. And yet, you come here right before me and you try to shake my hand?"

"Oh, well, Sir. If you hadn't asked, I certainly wouldn't've come. And anyway," He put his hand down, "I guess we learned that was what you do in a Vault."

"Don't talk. Vulpes Inculta was the indisputable best of my frumentarii. Now he's dead."

Lee didn't talk. He tilted his head and watched the rage do all sorts of interesting things to the lines and curves of the older man's face.

"You, some nobody courier, tore through my Legion in Nipton, and you've harassed and killed others who scouted the wasteland you now call home. What do you have to say for yourself?"

"Well, y'know, I guess mostly I'm a bit surprised that dogheaded man was your best guy. I thought it was the masked man from over East still some."

The pink irritation rose in shade on Caesar's cheeks. "Is this a fucking joke to you? You come all this way to say that? Well, that's fine. I've got a nice thick pole with your name on it."

Lee blinked at him, tilted his head, and said, "Well now, normally I wanna get to know a man first, but you're plenty presitigious I s'pose wouldn't be terrible if it's really so thick as you say."

Lee could hear the gasps, sharp inhales that signaled any number of things he would love to watch, but he focused exclusively on Caesar and his red face. Lee smiled and made his eyes go a bit bigger.

"I--I meant crucifixion."

"Well now," hands on hips, brows pulled in tight, "that doesn't seem nice. Alexis out there told me that I had safe passage here onto Legion soil, and I know this is sand and rock I'm standing on, but it still seems like it should count."

Caesar nodded, and a slow smile rubbed out between thin lips. "Alexis? You don't mean Alerio, do you?"

"Oh, right. Sorry, keep forgettin' his name. I get all mixed up on a whole mess a things. Anyway, that guy told me I'd be nice and safe here, and he promised up and down that you givin' him this here Mark to give to me, so long as I played nice, would make me safe here."

"It does, if you can not commit any more crimes."

"Well, how come you've got a pole with my name on-- wait, which name've you got on the pole anyway? Cause I'm here to tell ya, Lee's my middle name, not the full one. I'd be pretty darn surprised if you knew my full name, though I guess I shouldn't put it past your fruitmen."

Caesar laughed, loud, for nearly a full minute, before he finally pounded his chest and took several deep breaths. "You're far different than I expected, given how brutal the reports stated the killings in Nipton were. You're smaller as well, like a child."

He would not respond to that last bit, he would not... "Oh, they sure were. Made my stomach turn even seeing that place. I guess you must feel the same way then? That Vulpes guy must've gone and done something real different from what you wanted."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, you're saying how brutal it was, and I saw how brutal it was. I mean, 's'even worse than lookin' into them there White Gloved people's basements when I tried seein' if they had a chef job for me down in the kitchen. Just, y'know, some people they just don't do good things to others."

"Vulpes was working under my full authority at the time." Amusement faded.

Lee decided to pull back, but not before one last innocent sounding punch. "Oh. Well, takes all kinds of people to make this world run, don't it? That's what Mama always said. That, and don't say nothin' if all you wanna say is mean."

"And, is your 'Mama' still around, to dole out such sage wisdom?" He leaned into his palm, eyed Lee with a bit more suspicion than Lee had hoped for.

"No Sir, she went and kissed a lady and got caught, and that was it for her. No sapphires in our Vault, no Sir. Same reason I got booted, I guess. Course, I'm not a lady. And I wasn't kissing ladies, neither, so I guess it wasn't the same reason at all."

Caesar relaxed and nodded. "Well, as fascinating as your... intriguing view on the world is, I didn't call you here for your history, or for pleasantries. In fact, just the opposite."

\---~~~---

Between the three of them, they probably all laughed hard enough that Yes Man could parse at least some of their good time.

Lee paused and finished his wine, then grinned up at Benny and winked.

Benny wanted to be mad (though he wasn't sure why) but he couldn't, not with how Lee told that story. Not with the way he was one hundred percent, without a single doubt, certain Lee had said things at least as flippantly yet innocently as Lee explained it. Hell, Benny had been there when Lee had done similar--

The thought twisted him for a moment. Lee actively mentioned how easy it was to play frumentarii and Caesar himself.

Benny stepped over to the wine and poured a bit into the glass his water had been in. "So, Caesar didn't put you on his wood, personal or literal?"

"No, which I am grateful for. For all my messin', he was about as pleasant to look at as House, especially when you figured the guy's soul was dark to the core. I'm talkin', I thought House was a bad one to try and chat to. This guy..." He shook his head, reached for the bottle, and found it empty. Under his breath, "This is why I'm a hard liquor kinda guy. Pour enough wine to loosen up, and then it's empty again and you gotta start over with a new bottle."

"Oh, but who doesn't like popping a new cork?" Benny moved up behind Lee and massaged loosely at the center of his back, right between the shoulders.

"If that's a euphemism, then I would answer you in kind, but _someone_ asked me to be more discreet."

Swank smirked and drank his own water. "I can get another bottle if you want."

"Oh, thank you, Swank, I'd like that. I think between the three of us, maybe two would be good. It's not like there's anyone but me here, half the time. Though... I got that guest bedroom all fixed up." Lee leaned against Benny's massaging movements, looked right up into Benny's gaze.

Benny opened his mouth to say something regarding just what you could do with all that space.

"Maybe I'll invite some new friends to come stay here! Sure beats having them scattered to the wind."

That idea burst. Benny shrugged. "Could be good." He set his water down and moved both hands onto Lee's back right beside one another, working in tandem. "Though, before you rush through that, you and I could christen your pad with some of that wine and a bit of private time together.”

Lee grinned and maintained his gaze on Benny. He reached one hand up and stroked just his pointer finger along Benny's stubbled chin. "Oh, but I can't christen this place, don't you know that'd be bad luck?"

"Excuse me?"

"Well, you can't just christen things willy nilly with a bottle of wine. There's all sorts of rules and such you gotta follow, or you get bad luck."

"Says who?"

"Says a book I read once. And if this place is like a boat, then Benny, I got my work cut out for me. I have to remove House's name from everything, and I'll have to rename the place, and--"

"Alright, alright. How about we skip the christening and move right on into you and me in the bedroom with wine, huh?"

In walked Swank, bottle in each hand, a grin pulled handsomely over his features. "Well, look at this. Found some nice vintages in the kitchen. Looks like whoever last stayed here had decent taste."

Lee raised his glass and lowered his other hand from Benny's chin. "Oh, now thank you for grabbin' those. Was a bit preoccupied myself."

Swank glanced between the two with a knowing smirk and nodded, "So I see."

Lee leaned forward and placed both elbows firmly on the table. "Huh."

"What?" Benny and Swank both asked in about the same tone.

"Oh, nothing."

"No, c'mon, what's that 'huh' mean?" Swank popped the cork on one of the bottles of white, and carefully poured them all a glass, starting with Lee's.

"Well, just, you keep lookin' at Benny how I keep lookin' at Benny. Makes me wonder."

Benny laughed, harder than he intended. Harsher, even. "Baby, that's not true. Swank and I, we grew up like brothers."

Swank swallowed some of his wine and focused his attention back on Lee, "So, what happened next with Caesar? What'd he even have you do?"

Lee glanced up to Benny one last time before he shrugged and continued.

\---~~~---

"I heard the shaking below. I'll take that to mean you got the job done as asked. Good. I'm glad you understand your place in things."

Lee nodded, with that same head tilt that gave him a pretty nasty crick in his neck, but he knew from experience how it worked on people like this. "Anything el--"

Caesar just kept blinking, like he had a speck of dust, or a rock, in his eyes. He wouldn't stop, that heavy flickering as though he were a projector shooting pictures onto the wall. Then Caesar slumped forward and nodded back. "Good, good. I have other tasks for you."

"What sorta tasks?"

"Tribes in the region. I want to secure their cooperation against the NCR. And while you ruined that--" Caesar grunted with pain, clenched his fist hard around his own knee, and shook his head, "The Omertas I spent months on, and you ruined it. But that's forgiven."

But not forgotten, it seemed. Lee stepped a bit closer, pulled on a concerned expression like a jacket. "What other tribes are you lookin' to help out?"

"Be assisted by, but yes. White Gloves are off the list as well, thanks to your swift actions. So that leaves us with the Khans, Boomers, and--" He shut his eyes, grit those teeth on together, and ground out the finish, "Brotherhood of Steel."

"Well, if that's all you need, I'll come back by and visit you when I've made sure to make friendly with them all."

"No. Brotherhood of Steel I want exterminated." Inhaled, exhaled, but Caesar still clung onto evident pain, creased across his forehead, worked into tight grunts from his throat. A wrinkled hand rubbed hard at the temples, but it didn't seem to help.

"Oh, really? Did they do something?"

"They don't have to do something for me to want what I want. I tell you an order, you fucking..." Caesar stood. "I'm going to bed. This is enough. Go, talk to Alerio."

Lee knew better than to stand by idle. He turned about and headed out of the room. The tent. And there, who could it be but Alerio?

"I see you succeeded in your task. Excellent. Perhaps you can continue to serve Caesar in the future."

"Well, I think that's the plan. He got kinda mad about some pain or somethin' in his head, must be havin' a real rough day, poor guy." Nothing to get him in trouble, enough to underscore publicly that Caesar was having headaches. Bad ones, from the looks of it. 

\---~~~---

"You really don't screw around, do you?" Swank interrupted, again, and Lee didn't seem all that put out by it. "Gotta wonder, though, how easy it is telling us that you played House and Caesar like fiddles when you could be doing the same now."

Lee smiled. "Well, see, the difference is neither one of you is lookin' at me right now like I'm a fucking moron."

Benny choked on his wine. "Baby." It didn't keep him from laughing at the unexpected expletive.

"Well, it's true. I hate that. And I just really dislike Legion. You know, I could almost, almost, respect them for trying to get some organization going, but that was before I saw what passed for a Legion 'city'." He chugged his wine.

Benny didn't mention that was about as correct to do with a good vintage as taking an aged scotch like it was something to shoot. He just let Lee be. If Lee wanted to enjoy the wine by tossing it down his gullet, right past the taste buds, fine.

Swank nodded. "I hear what you're saying. I guess I can dig that. Besides, Caesar's a real roach of a guy."

Lee laughed, "Benny, wasn't that something you said? Something like uh... what was it?"

"Baby, get on your stomping boots."

Lee slapped the table, which shook the near empty bottle. Never one to pass up an opportunity, apparently, Lee caught the swirling bottle and poured the rest into his glass. "I didn't stomp him though. Not yet. But that's alright, I got one last fun little moment in there before I left."

"Oh, I gotta hear this. This whole, taking over The Strip thing ever turns out to be too much for you, Tommy Torini up in Aces has a lot of slots open for acts." Swank leaned in, elbows on the table like Lee's.

Benny watched Swank, who watched Lee. Benny just kept right on massaging those tense shoulders and along that tight back.

\---~~~---

"Gosh, that's a whole lotta info. Good thing I got this here arm computer to help out. I'd probably have been dead by now without it." He tapped his Pip-boy expertly and typed out a note to himself on how Caesar wanted the tribes to be handled. How could he do the literal opposite if he didn't remember how Alerio told him to do things?

"I'm just glad you actually know how to read. And speak. So many people in this world don't talk _correctly_." There was more than a little sarcasm rolling as an undercurrent in the words.

"Oh, don't you worry about that. Mama taught me how to read by the time she had to go, that's for sure." He didn't glance up when he added the note, 'make Alerio cry'. "So, Aloha? Pretty name. Means 'hello' and 'goodbye'. So I guess this means aloha, for now, right?"

"P-pardon?"

"Aloha!" And Lee turned about, smiled at everyone on his way down the worn path, and ignored all the snickers of Legionaries that heard what he'd said.

Behind him, he could hear Lucius chuckle. "Aloha. I'll have to remember that one. I wouldn't want to forget your name."

"That isn't my name!"

"It's better than Fruitman, isn't it? I'd think you'd be happy with a new name from our untouchable guest."

Lee couldn't hear the rest, but he hummed the whole way, happy as could be for all the Legion camp to see. It wasn't until he was away from that putrid slave camp that he finally let all the last few days go. The first thing he wanted to do when he got back to New Vegas was collapse in bed, read a bit, and drink something strong enough to forget most of the stuff he saw there. His notes would remind him of anything important anyway.

\---~~~---

Funny how Lee could end a story that might've stayed funny, and twist it into making Benny feel bad. Just, bad. For Lee, for himself, for the slaves Lee had no doubt seen, for any number of twisted things.

Benny hated feeling bad.

Benny drank his wine as quick as Swank and Lee did.

Swank stood. "Well, the floor can't run itself. I wouldn't want Jack getting all the attention from all the ladies who come to us for a good time."

"Just the ladies?" Lee finished off the last few drops in his glass, as though he would have otherwise.

Swank tightened his tie. "Not everyone's into men, you know."

"Oh, sure, sure." Lee stood too and grabbed the last bottle of wine. "But I am. C'mon, Benny. If you really wanna help me 'christen' my bed, you and I have some work to do tonight before we get back to work tomorrow."

His stomach did a flip, his heart beat faster than his thoughts, and his thoughts told him of all the many ways he wanted to make Lee moan and beg during the night.

He only caught a moment of Swank's expression before Swank turned away, offered a wave, and headed for the elevator.

Benny drank the last few sips of his own wine and followed Lee towards the master bedroom.


	17. Hidden Valley Bunker

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which no one talks about exactly where Lee is.

Benny jammed his cigarette into the ceramic plate and shoved both ahead on the table. "What kinda punk goes and leaves someone for weeks without sending word back? He could be dead, and I wouldn't know jack squat."

Swank speared a piece of meat on his fork and eyed Benny with that look. Subtly raised brow, slight tilt to the lips, and little shake of his head that said he was holding something real big in.

"What?" Benny pulled out another smoke, even with Swank's disapproving look urging him to quit it.

"Well, I don't know, Benny. _What_ kinda punk goes away for weeks without sending word back? I can't think of anyone--"

"Yeah, yeah, I get it." He waved Swank's words away and lit up his smoke. "I'm just saying, would it kill the kid to send word ahead? Maybe, heh, maybe even a courier?"

Swank did grin at that and he finally popped that bit of rare steak into his mouth.

"I mean, at least I told you I was headed out. All I got was a note."

Swank wiped at his mouth with the squared off napkin, then set it aside and leaned in. "How many times are we gonna have this conversation? Until he comes back? Because I'll go out there right now and find him if it'll make you quit it."

"I could find him myself if I was really worried."

"Well, problem solved. You haven't gone to find him yet, so you must not be worried. Can we find another conversation then?"

"You know, considering how important he is to the whole scope of things, I'd think you'd get over your little problem with him."

Swank sighed, chewed through his meat, and finally swallowed. "Yeah, Benny, I get it. I'm just saying, he's small but he's tough, right? He can handle what comes his way. He's a real scrapper."

Benny pushed back from the table with a dramatic shove, then stood and adjusted his suit and tie. "Still, it couldn't hurt to go take a look-see."

"You'd never do this if it were a chick draggin' you around, you know." Swank sipped his water and eyed Benny.

Benny glared down. "Enjoy the steak."

"I will." He chomped down on the final bite and kept his gaze focused up at Benny, unwavering.

\---~~~---

The elevator sounded nicer than the one in his casino. The Tops played the radio, and Benny wouldn't deny he enjoyed listening to the dulcet tones of Mr. New Vegas, but the 38 had a little loop of jazzy music that calmed him each time he took the ride up to see if Lee was in.

People spoke and laughed, though at least one was a lady's voice.

If Lee was here with a broad... He stepped closer, opened the door, and peeked his head into the room in question.

One girl screeched and pulled a wrinkled shirt up to cover her bared breasts. "Get out!"

"Who in the fuck are you? Never mind, don't care." The redhead got right up into his face, forcibly shoved him away, then slammed and locked the door.

Lee wasn't even interested in women, right? He'd made that clear, hadn't he?

Benny took several steps back, then turned back towards the elevator.

Two men stood at the very end of the hall, close to the kitchen. The blond arched a brow and stood far taller than the other, who wore a red beret and a stern look.

It took a moment before Benny connected the dots to come to the conclusion he was standing in front of one of those Followers, and that guy from Novac who sniped for a living.

Still, it didn't explain why they looked so angry.

Taking a note from Lee's playbook, he stepped forward. "Hey, Benny here. I'm sure Lee's told you all about me." A wide smile. "He told me about you two."

"Do you know a woman named Emily Ortal?" The blondie with the thick glasses strode forward. "Because she knows you, quite well, as I understand it."

He swallowed. "I may know the name. Lots of people in--"

"As I understand it, she had something you wanted. Once you got it, you shut her out from the Strip."

He didn't need to have his hand held to the conclusion. "I'm not gonna do that with Lee, don't you worry."

"Really? Oh, well, I suppose Boone, Cass, Veronica, and myself can all rest easy that Lee will be in good hands when you're holding him, right? Let me tell you--"

The door behind Benny opened and out walked at least one set of pissed off boots over the carpet. "Who the fuck do you think you are? We were changing!" It was the redhead, who very much looked like she'd not been just changing with the one with the perky tits when he'd walked in.

He'd been in tighter situations, but this one left him more uncomfortable on a level he couldn't figure. "Hey, I wasn't looking, alright? Not that you're not worth looking at but--"

"Oh, that's a great response." The blond stepped closer until he towered over Benny. "Cass is Lee's friend, you know. We all are. If you're looking at them who's to say where else you're looking? And what else you're doing?"

Benny stepped back, but oops, there was the redhead, right against his back. He turned palms up and stepped towards the elevator. "Look, I'll come back later. I just wanted to see Lee." A smidgen under half of him wanted to fight since they were clearly angling for one, but that wouldn't do so great for long term standing with Lee.

The girl who'd been nearly nude held her hand over the elevator buttons. "Now, I'm pretty sure you should stay right where you are." She had the shirt on this time, and Benny found himself no small bit thankful for that, if only to make not looking all that much easier. They couldn't yell at him for freshly wandering eyes anymore.

"If you'd just tell me where Lee is--"

The girl in front of him bobbed a little and pulled away from the elevator panel. "Oh! Oh, I know, pick me, pick me!" She darted her hand up, as though waiting to be called upon.

Alright. "Where is he?"

"Back at my house-- well, it's not really a house, and it's certainly not my home... but still, he's definitely still there. Or, he was last time I checked."

How helpful. Benny nodded along though, kept that same little smile he'd worked up a minute before. "Well, where's that then?"

"Oh, it's hidden. In a valley. You know how it goes."

Around him, he could feel smirks. He didn't look at them though. Benny gazed right on down into the chipper expression of the girl in front of him. "Right. And he's there?"

"Well, he might be." A heavy rolling shrug then she stepped forward into his space. "He told us to be nice to some guy in a checked suit if he came around."

"Yeah, well, Lee didn't say his boy toy was a peeping Tom. I say we punch him until he's sorry." Redhead came right up at his side, smirk still slashed across her pale face, her voice smoky and thick.

The chipper girl brightened, "Oh, I love punching! Can I use my ballistic fist?"

"No." Red beret spoke up finally. "He's a guest. Lee wouldn't like it."

Just as he'd expected to have to pull out his old Boot Rider moves he'd cleaned up and relabeled over the years. Benny loosened his stance and glanced over. "Boone, right? You were with him at that quarry?"

"Yep."

It figured. Lee ran with a crew as happy and scary, by different strokes and measures, as Lee was. "Well, maybe we could keep the punching out of this whole thing. I just want to know he's alright. It's been... a while."

Tall, blond, and irritated pushed even further into Benny's space. "Boone's right that Lee wouldn't like us being rude to a," he inhaled, and lowered himself in a duck towards Benny's face, "guest. But if I even catch a breath that you're planning to use him like you did Emily, especially since he seems to sincerely like you, then you should watch yourself." The Follower stepped back and smiled. His tone had the same chipper sound as the girl, "Well, since you're a guest, why don't you stay for a few rounds of drinks?"

Swell. "Alright."

Like the broken rush after a mob, they all dispersed away from Benny a bit, and Blondie led to the kitchen.

He didn't pull out his cigarettes, but only because Redhead still looked at him with a gaze that said she could kill him in more ways than she could count.

It wasn't that he was afraid, it was that he didn't want to upset Lee when Lee was so important in the whole big plan.

\---~~~---

Boone handed him a shot of something or another. Benny sniffed it, then winced and pulled his head back.

"You're not gonna pussy outta drinking, are you?" Cass lifted her own chipped glass to her lips, then tilted it back and grinned like her insides weren't burning out. "Damn that's good. Veronica, remind me to get another fission battery."

Benny could feel his nostril hairs catch fire and turn to ashes, just from that whiff. As much as he didn't want to put that into his stomach, he wasn't a teetotaler and he could handle it.

He could not handle it, but it was too late, it already scalded all the way down his throat and burned an unholy hole into his gut. He smacked his lips and spent all his energy keeping himself from reacting how Lee had to scotch. "Well, that's alcohol." The moment the words were out, he knew he'd been caught.

Smirks all around.

He coughed and pushed back from the long table just a bit while he rummaged for his cigarettes. He needed something to make the burning focus elsewhere. "So, what's got you all back here?"

Arcade poured himself a shot of something far more reasonable: vodka. "Well, Lee asked us to come back here."

Benny felt a swell of envy that the doctor got something actually enjoyable to drink. He kept that thought to himself though, since Arcade's response was already sarcastic enough to fill the room. "Well, he's always up to something. Any stories?"

"Oh, oh, I have one! Lee and I went dancing, and I got new shoes and even the most incredible dress." That happy smiling face made Benny smile right back, now that she wasn't threatening to punch him to death.

"Well, lay it on me, sweet stuff."

Cass arched a brow. "Watch where you say shit like that. Maybe Lee thinks it's cute..." Bottoms up.

Veronica rolled her eyes at Cass, then nodded. "Ok, so, we'd met once a few weeks ago, right? And I guess I said something right, because he came back around!"

\---~~~---

"I hope it’s alright giving you this." Lee lifted a long black matte box up tied with a single red ribbon. He handed it over.

Veronica gave him and the box a once over. "What's in there? A surprise?"

"Well, yeah, until you open it."

She set the box down on a nearby picnic table, then eagerly pulled the tie and flipped the lid over onto the wooden slats. Breathless, she clutched her chest and looked back to Lee, the weird little cowboy looking man who'd lost his hat. "Oh, this is really, really, really sweet. But I'm not interested."

"Oh, guess if you don't like it, we could always go find another one you would like. I've got tons back in New Vegas."

"No, no, it's ok. It's just, you'd need to be leggy. And brunette."

"Well, I'm not putting on the dress. I thought you wanted a dress? Isn't that what you were sayin' when we talked. You wanted a dress. I wasn't makin' that up, was I?"

"Oh, no no, you-- actually, maybe you'd look good in a dress though. This green would probably be exactly your color." She lifted the dress up into the light, pressed it against Lee's chest. "It'd bring out the red highlights in your hair. And the length would really work for you, you could show off your calves. I bet you have nice ones."

"Awww, thank you. I'm certainly not opposed to the color, no, but that material is kinda itchy. You wouldn't know it, but my skin's a bit sensitive."

"Oh, ouch. That's gotta be rough, considering we live," Veronica gestured all around them.

"Yeah, it's not pretty. Though, this shirt's actually really good. Solid cotton, very breathable. The jeans are sturdy too. Solid, sensitive, and thick, that's what I like to wear, and that's how I like my men."

Immediately she relaxed. "Oh, my god, I thought you were trying to--"

"Oh, no, don't worry yourself a bit. Figured as much. That's my fault, shoulda said I wasn't trying to rub you the wrong way, or any way, with this gift. Just figured, if a lady wants a fancy dress so bad she's willing to tell strangers, maybe she wouldn't mind if a stranger did a nice thing and gave her one."

So Veronica gave him a hug, accepted the dress, and they were best friends forever, right up until he told her to go on home to the Lucky 38 which was basically a tomb.

\---~~~---

Arcade coughed. "Well. At least you two got things sorted out. I've been in similar situations. It can become awkward."

Benny didn't pry, but he was a shot away from slamming his fists on the table and demanding to know more about wherever it was Lee was apparently holed away. Instead, he took that final shot and gave them all until it settled to demand to know just where his boyfriend... where Lee was.

Cass smirked. "Tell about when those Fiends came and fucked your shit up good, Arcade."

Arcade coughed again, though this time on whatever poison he'd picked to drink up. Arcade glared in her direction, "Why?"

"No reason." She didn't even succeed in hiding the smirk behind her moonshine.

With narrowed, suspicious green eyes, Arcade nodded. "Very well. I don't have any other more pressing stories at the moment, or at least, not ones I'm willing to share in the _present company_ , so this will do fine."

\---~~~---

Arcade scanned the horizon, on alert for any threat that might come upon them.

"You worry too much." Lee made several valiant attempts to light the tinder before him, but the wind, uncharacteristic in the region, kept blowing out the matches. Lee was down to the last few. "I'd rather we worry about gettin' this campfire going."

"Why don't we eat something that doesn't require cooking?" Between the two of them, they clearly had enough food to share. If they ignored nutritional needs entirely, they could just eat those many Fancy Lads cakes Lee had pilfered from the ruins of a dilapidated building.

Lee, apparently offended at even the notion, glared up at Arcade. "And ignore that nice gecko that gave its life so we could have a good dinner? I thought you Followers were supposed to be nice sorts."

Arcade felt his own face flush with offense. "We are, and I am. Mostly."

Lee's grin flickered like the fire and grew just as the flames licked higher. "Now just look at that. Told you I could get a fire going. We're having steak tonight."

Arcade opened his mouth but snapped it shut a moment later when over the ruins of a house several barbaric looking people crawled. Helmets, emblazoned with bones and blood, covered manic-appearing faces that were wiped with mud and other less sanitary looking fluids.

With an inborn sense of adventure, Arcade pulled his plasma defender free from the holster at his belt and leveled off a few shots into the closest Fiends. 'Do no harm’ battled constantly with ‘defend those that need it’, but here in the desert, ensuring his newfound friend's safety took over.

Lee stoked the fire with a long stick a few more times, before he turned, tugged his machete free, and crippled the nearest Fiend's shoulder, just before he could use it to attack Lee. With another stroke, Lee lopped off their other arm and pushed the Fiend away. "So, fire's ready but now I need you to cut those steaks, seeing as how my machete's all mussed up again. Unless you wanna get the people shakes..."

\---~~~---

"He didn't really say that, did he?" Veronica leaned closer to Arcade, focused intently on what the doctor said.

"He absolutely did. It's Lee. I know you haven't been with him all that long, but he's... he has an interesting take on language and just what should be said. And when to say it."

"I'll drink to that." Benny raised his glass and allowed Cass to fill it up with more of that fiery moonshine. Sure, sure, they had access to better alcohol, but now that he was a shot in, he already could see the appeal.

Cass chuckled and shook her head, which she'd done just about the entire short tale. "That's not how Lee told the story. While you were pissing in the bushes, he said some Fiends ambushed you."

Alcohol or embarrassment? This early in the night, definitely embarrassment. "Because Lee's the most reliable narrator you know." Arcade sighed and swished around the amber fluid in his own glass. "Fine, it may have happened slightly different, but I maintain that half the things Lee says he did, he didn't do quite that way. Like, for instance, clearing that quarry."

Boone shook his head. "We did."

"Well, of course, you both cleared it. Every construction worker and miner in the region knows you did that. But Lee tells it as though it were the easiest thing in the world."

Boone shrugged. "I guess I haven't heard him talk about it."

"Well, what really happened?" Cass poured more for herself, then bottoms up.

\---~~~---

Boone squinted. Even with sunglasses, afternoon sun made this difficult.

Lee squirmed and shifted. He couldn't keep still. "I don't know how to shoot from a distance."

"Deathclaws aren't melee enemies"

"Well, I mean, I have a pistol. It's mid-range, right?"

"A pistol."

"Well, it'd work in a pinch, right?"

Boone shrugged. "If it was between not shooting it and shooting it with a pistol, I guess. Mostly it'd just piss them off."

Lee went right back to that awkward shifting of steps, like he had everything and nothing to say, but couldn't get the words out.

"I guess..."

"What?" Lee perked up a bit.

"Maybe I could show you how to use a rifle."

"Really? Well, that'd just be great! With the scope and everything?"

Boone nodded. "Just don't move it around too much. Go slow."

Boone showed Lee how to breathe, how to aim, how to make sure to compensate for wind, and any number of other lessons he'd learned from his time with NCR.

Lee kept quiet, listened well, and asked good questions.

Within the hour, Boone determined Lee would be ready to take on deathclaws with him, and at least take out one by himself.

With that they--

\---~~~---

"Oh man, you're terrible at this." Cass waved her empty glass in his direction. "Get to the fucking point."

Even behind sunglasses (indoors, no less) Boone's eyes narrowed. Thin lips pursed. Then he nodded.

\---~~~---

Boone instructed Lee in always aiming for the spot you were certain you could hit. Armor piercing rounds were expensive, and not to be wasted with panicked shots. Usually, those shots were center of mass ones, but if you were near enough you could be certain to get a headshot, that was fine. The important part was to ensure as many factors were in your favor as possible.

Boone personally always had a cold clean bore to start with, but he knew how to work with a warm one, and he could go in dirty.

\---~~~---

"Can you now?" Arcade was drunk enough, any sense of shame didn't seem to be there anymore. "I'll have to remember that."

Boone chuckled, though it was a bit dry.

Veronica giggled against Cass' right shoulder. She was drunk to the point she couldn't even sit upright in her own chair so she needed Cass' support. "Cass, you got him mad."

Boone smiled. "I'm not mad."

"Then get to the point!" Cass grunted, then turned herself a bit so Veronica could rest on her shoulder a bit better. Cass didn't pull away when Veronica got a little groping action in there none-too-subtly.

Boone shrugged.

\---~~~---

From their position on a central brink of the quarry, Boone was able to release two dozen shots, enough to take out several deathclaws. Soon enough though, Lee seemed impatient to assist. Boone finally nodded and allowed Lee to come settle in beside him on the precarious ledge. "Just like I taught you," he whispered.

Lee nodded, and took the warm rifle into his hands, weighed it with satisfaction in his grips, then aimed. Lee wasn't a natural by any means, but he could get a shot off well enough. The smaller deathclaw in question howled, guttural, and clutched its gushing horn.

It was a hit, but Lee wasn't satisfied. A lesser sniper in training might panic and attempt to pull the second shot off too quick. Lee simply licked his lips, breathed like Boone had instructed, and aimed a bit lower. Target hit.

The deathclaw increased its almost piteous cries, up until the point two massive deathclaws stalked into view. It rushed to them, seeking comfort.

Boone tapped Lee on the shoulder and whispered, "I think I should take these ones out."

One shot right into the little beast's back. Then Lee nodded and carefully handed over the rifle.

It burned in Boone's hands, but that was nothing new. The sheer mass of his targets though, that was foreign. He was no stranger to deathclaws, but beasts of this size he hadn't seen before. Something between calm and concerned twisted in his gut. He bit it back and took the first shot on the larger one, most likely a male.

It took well over a dozen bullets itself, but eventually, it couldn't soak up the damage anymore, and too much blood loss and organ damage made it crumple into a heap over the smaller body.

He took aim at the other one, which sniffed about and screeched low, all while it panicked and slashed at the air with claws.

Boone focused so solely on killing it, that when he turned around and saw Lee bloodied and panting, he nearly dropped his rifle. "What--"

"One of those middle-sized ones came up to crash the party." Lee lifted a deathclaw hand up in the air, and held his machete, dripping, in the other. "Good work on those big fellas. They looked real mean. Now, heard we could make mint with these claws."

"We could."

"So I'm gonna help you collect them, and then you can sell 'em if you like, since you went and used all that ammunition to help me."

"You don't have--"

"Well, I don't have to do anything but live and die, but I'm gonna. Now, c'mon, I think both hands should sell just the same, and I didn't cut the other one off yet."

Just like that, they finished with Quarry Junction, and as soon as all the eggs and hands were collected, Boone and Lee parted ways.

\---~~~---

"Just like that?" Cass eyed Boone from her position draped over her glass.

Boone nodded and sipped his beer. "He'd probably tell it better though." Boone shrugged, as though it hardly mattered.

"He definitely did." Cass ran a hand through her hair though, leaned back in the chair, and focused on something on the wall just past Boone.

"Why don't you tell a story then." Boone didn't level his voice like it was a challenge, but that one raised brow said it was.

Cass huffed. "Yeah, fine. I'll tell the best fucking story you ever heard, it'll give Lee a run for his money."

\---~~~---

"You again? What kinda dumb fuck comes by more than once to a place like this?" Cass couldn't help but think the scrawny no one was looking for trouble, going around and asking everyone how he could help out. Looking out for anyone but yourself got you killed, especially out in the desert.

"Me, I guess. Must be, but I guess that's not so bad." Lee settled onto the stool next to Cass. Even just sitting, he looked far too small to be allowed into a bar, and Cass had been drinking since she was a teen.

"Yeah? Why's that?" She tossed back whiskey and leaned closer. This was the obnoxious little shit who'd gone and cleared those ants for the Ranger who had his thumbs busy grinding up his own ass.

"Well, at least I'm not so dumb I stay in a place like this, day in, day out, without being in the NCR."

Cass punched Lee, square in the chin.

Lee, despite being a few inches shorter, caught the next punch, tugged her in, and smiled. "See, I knew you weren't all dried up." He released, and he took a fucking step back. There was that same stupid grin on his face, as though the split lip didn't even hurt.

"You don't know shit."

"I know your caravan got destroyed."

"Everyone in this fucking bar knows that. Hell, the whole outpost knows it. Whoop-dee-fucking-doo. Get outta my face."

The little southern upstart stepped closer this time, looked right up into her face with bugged eyes that creeped her out a bit, like they could read everything about her. "I know it wasn't random. I've got evidence of that."

"The-- what?" She questioned it, but she knew the moment he said it that he was right. "That's not true."

"I've got papers. Wanted to come to you, talk. But I guess fighting works just as well." He nodded to Lacey behind the bar, and several of the NCR men and women looking on with curiosity.

"Even-- even if that was true, and I'm not saying it is. I can't move."

Lee slapped down a paper. "You can if you sell your caravan."

She scoffed, tapped her glass for another shot, and scowled when Lacey shook her head. Cass wheeled about and glared down at the no one bothering her binge. "It's worth more than anyone would buy it for. It's a name, I can't just--"

"I'll buy it. You leave here. You buy it back. That should work for the bureaucracy nonsense, right? The only reason you're stuck here is because right now it's yours."

"I don't think that's how--"

"I checked. Major Knight and Ranger Jackson sure seemed nice about that being how it could work. You get to leave, you get to find out what happened, and you can stop punching strangers in bars."

"Well, that last part is right off the table."

Lee grinned and put his hand out, "Well, I'm Lee. So now that we're not strangers, you'll stop punching me, right?"

She shook his hand. "Cass. And I guess so. So, how much are you planning to buy it for?"

Lee turned out his pockets. "Uh. I have a bottle of whiskey in my bag. We could just share that and it'd count for buying and selling, right?"

"I like how you think."

\---~~~---

"So, you punched him and now you're best friends?" Arcade adjusted his glasses and shook his head, all while leveling a judgmental look in her direction.

"Well, best friends I don't know. But he helped me take care of those Van Graffs and that bitch, Alice McLafferty. She wasn't laughing anymore when we sent all the proof we had back to the NCR. When the NCR wouldn’t do shit, he helped me take them both down a peg too, so there was that."

"I guess just punching him isn't the worst thing someone who's now friends with him has done or attempted." Arcade wasn't even subtle.

Benny put his hands up, "Whoa, hey, him and I cleared that up, it wasn't anything personal. And anyway, I didn't shoot him."

"Shoot him?" Arcade's eyes opened far wider than Benny was comfortable with.

Benny weakly smiled. "Oh. What were you talking about?"

"I meant sleeping with-- you wanted to shoot him?" Arcade stood.

Veronica stood. Boone stood. Cass stood so hard her chair fell back and flipped over onto the floor.

Lee stepped into the room, bruised along his cheek and with swollen tired looking eyes. "You know, Veronica, I know they're your brothers, but I do not care for that bunker, no ma'am. Reminds me a bit too much of the Vault." Lee hunkered on down into a chair, then tilted his head loosely in Benny's direction. He cracked a bloody smile wide, "Benny! Good seein' you again. Sorry 'bout bein' gone so long, had a whole laundry list of things to do, and it was just one thing after another, you know?"

"It's alright, baby." Benny stood and moved closer. "You look like you've had better days."

"I've had worse too. So, what're we drinkin'?" The lip split a bit more, and a bead of crimson pooled before it trickled down Lee's lip and onto his lightly tanned chin.

With steady glares aimed in Benny’s direction, Lee would have to be an idiot not to notice them. And if there was only one thing Benny was certain about when it came to Lee, it was that he wasn't a fool, even if he played it up more often than not.

So when Lee ignored how tense everyone was and motioned for Benny to come closer, Benny stepped closer. He was greeted with a tight hug, with Lee's face uncomfortably (but ever so wonderfully) pressed up against Benny's belly and pelvis. "I missed you, baby."

"Missed you too." And that was it, wasn't it? Everyone slowly lowered their hackles, sat back in their chairs, and went back to what they were doing. Drinking. Sharing stories.

Lee was filled to the brim and bursting with stories. Tired eyes gave way to a dulled but excited voice. Benny settled into the chair beside Lee and enjoyed letting him talk like he hadn't gotten to hear for weeks.


	18. Red Rock Canyon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lee gets knocked down, but he gets up again, they're never going to keep him down.

Benny reached out, pulled Lee in just as he started to scoot away.

Lee rolled right back up against Benny's chest. "Thought you were sleepin'."

"Was." Still was, though, the more time that passed the more he realized there wasn't going to be more sleep. Benny peeked his eyes open and glanced down at Lee. Ah.

Lee looked like he'd been caught pilfering something, with a guilty little set to his lips and eyes turned up to feign innocence.

"You weren't about to go leave a note again, were you?"

"There's a whole buncha work that needs doing, and you've kinda gotta stay here, don't you?"

"If this is about that whole discretion thing, baby, I've changed my mind."

Lee looked closer to his age when he rolled his eyes like that, but Benny couldn't help but offer a sleepy smile in return. "Oh, have you now? Well, that's good to know, I'd hate for you to have to hide me. But no, it's not about that. Legion's got their eyes on some groups, and I need to go."

"Is that what the note would say?" Benny wrapped both arms about Lee's shoulders, pulled him in.

Maybe Swank was right. Benny rarely slept with the same person more than a few days in a row. He was doting on Lee like broads usually did with Benny. It wasn't a flattering comparison.

"No, probably I'd just say 'be back by week's end.'"

Short and sweet, but cutting all the same for what it left out. It wasn't all that unlike Lee, really.

"So, who exactly are you hoping to ally with now?"

"Well, Brotherhood was a bust, but I've got hope for the Khans and Boomers."

"Nope. You're not trying to talk to the Boomers."

"Oh, really? And why's that?"

"They'll blow you up before you even see their fences. Those missiles they shoot have range like you wouldn't believe, baby. Best just stick away."

"Oh, well alright, I guess that's it then."

He knew that look by now. That dubious little shrug to accept Benny said something, like Lee wanted to rush away from the topic so he didn't have to wrap himself up in half-truths. Those big green eyes focused on Benny's and he smiled after a moment. In that soft innocent voice he saved for buttering Benny up, he asked, "Cap for your thoughts?"

"I'd rather you didn't mess with the Khans either. They're dangerous."

"Sure, they seem... dangerous I guess is a word that could describe them, but I've got a ledger and everything that should help the Khans come around."

"And if they don't?"

"What do you mean? Of course they will. I have proof they're about to bend over and take it from the Legion, soon as this whole mess of a war is over. It's what Caesar always does."

"And if they stick to their guns, and don't listen to anything you say?"

"W-well, I guess I'll ignore them too."

"I'm surprised you wouldn't end them, like--"

"I don't do that for just nothing, you know! It's not like I walk into places and, and--" Lee tugged himself from Benny's grasp, rolled away until he was at the edge of the bed, then sat telephone pole straight up, stiff and tense. "It's not like the Khans are the Omertas or those White Glove people. They just get a little messed up sometimes. Besides, you worked with them."

"Sure did, sweetheart." He tried not to let the confrontation into his tone, but he couldn't help it. He sat up too and reached for the nightstand where his smokes were.

"Don't you light up in here, you know I hate that."

He never visited broads in their beds. Never had to. They flocked to him, like that one had weeks before, and others had since. Especially now that he was known as the Top of the Tops and the Real King of New Vegas, women-- and no short supply of hopeful men-- aimed themselves and their beautiful bodies in his direction.

Still, there he was in the 38, with Lee nagging at him not to smoke when Lee was the one who wanted to start the fight in the first place. When Lee was the one who wanted to leave without a word anyway. Benny pushed the covers back and moved to grab his clothes. "Sure thing, baby. Good luck with the Khans, but don't say I didn't warn you when things go further south than even you'd like."

There it hung, and Lee didn't have anything to say until Benny got right to the door, hand on the knob. "Benny, wait." The voice was softer, like he always pushed it out when he wanted Benny to listen.

"Need a smoke, and you said it yourself, you have work to do. So get at it, don't let me hold you back." Out the door he went. The elevator opened immediately, and he felt a tidal rush of relief only comparable to the nicotine he was about to receive.

He flicked the cigarette away a short minute later, having pulled through that smoke in half the normal time. Benny pocketed his hands and strode on over to The Tops.

Swank glanced up from a book and offered a sleepy grin. "Trouble in paradise?"

"Yeah, yeah, needed some space is all." Benny tried to keep the tension from his shoulders, tried to keep his strides loose and natural. "Shouldn't you look like you're working harder than jamming your head in a book?"

"Considering my shift's been over for hours and I'm here because it's relaxing... no, not really. I mean, I suppose if you want me working full 24-hour shifts, day in, day out, I can do that. But I'll need a bed here... Actually, think I could get a bed down here? I'm sure I could have a good time--"

Benny laughed and waved the words off. "Alright, you got me. Why can't you sleep? Having problems?" He stepped up to the front desk and examined the eye bags Swank held like a tired busboy.

Swank wiped at his eyes and blinked a few times, until he seemed marginally more awake. "No, no problems at all."

"Uh huh. You know, for being decent in poker, you're terrible at bluffing." Benny felt his posture crack like thin ice, and he relaxed just a bit more, lay his elbows on the desk itself.

"Fine. It's been harder sleeping these last few days. But that's all I'm saying." Palms up for a moment, before Swank returned to his book. "Besides, you're here right now too. Couldn't sleep? Or--"

"Or nothing, it's fine. I decided I wanted to sleep in my own bed, that's all." Maybe he'd told Lee he'd stop pressuring for discretion, but here at the front desk, even though Swank and Ron both knew what was up between him and Lee, he still felt a bit twisted up about it. Benny couldn't put his finger on the pulse of why, though, so he bit his tongue and buried that thought.

"Well, I'm headed up to my room anyway. Wanna grab a ride up with me?"

"Well, when you ask like that, who am I to refuse?" He strode ahead, didn't wait for Swank to catch up.

Swank did match pace though, after a speedy few strides to walk beside Benny. At the elevator, Swank leaned in, "So, Lee left you with a note again?"

"No." He reached for another cigarette, briefly, before he realized Swank looked at him with that look again. The one that said, 'I know why you want to smoke', so instead he pushed down the sides of his suit jacket, plucked at a loose ball of fuzz, and flicked it away. "But he was going to. Looked like a kid caught jamming nicked candy in his mouth when I asked."

Swank didn't say much, but that clever mouth didn't have to flap to say all Swank wanted to.

Maybe Swank and Lee got along better, they certainly seemed to when they were both around him. They could joke and laugh and stand around Benny making him feel all sorts of conflicted. But at the end of the day, he was pretty sure there was some bad energy around when they were both in the room. Or, if not bad, tense. Tension thick and looped like a rope, and just as easy to knot around his neck if he was around it too long.

Into the elevator they strode and he listened to the crackly radio music. "We should really get this fixed up better. If I have to hear 'Heartache by the Number' one more time with all that static..."

"I can get Tony on it. You know how good he is with those hands of his." Swank nodded at the speakers, "Though, it's not nearly as bad as that love song."

"Which one? Those're all they play, these days."

"Same songs they've always played, since we've been here." Swank shook his head, crossed arms, and leaned up against the back of the elevator. "'Love me as though there were no tomorrow', you know the one. The first few lines go, and I wanna be anywhere but there."

"And here I thought you were a romantic. All the ladies seem to think it."

Swank rolled his eyes, "Well, there's being a romantic and wanting to do things right, and there's being so sad about heart things that you stop being a stand-up guy yourself. The guy wants to put all his feelings in one basket, and that's not cool."

Benny wasn't sure if there was projection coming from one of them, but he wanted the conversation switched. Luckily, the doors folded back into the wall and signaled his escape. "Well, when we get it fixed, we could wire it with our own holotapes and get some new songs in."

"Hey hey, now that's the kinda idea I live for." Swank put the paper back into his pocket and stepped towards Benny's suite. "You wanna talk about you and the kid?"

"He's not a kid, he's just young." And so if he called Lee 'kid' that was different than if Swank did. It was fine.

"Well alright then, but that sounds an awful lot like a 'yes' to me, if your only comment is saying he's not what he can act like."

Damn Swank. "I know I'm bed hopping with a guy, but that doesn't mean it's open feelings hour, every hour on the hour."

"Ok, so?" Swank had such a casual posture, up against the wall just before Benny's suite. "You're clearly upset, and I'd rather actually get some sleep tonight instead of worrying, so why not just lay it out for me?"

"It's not an issue. No more than you hating when I smoke in my own damn room is an issue."

"Which is, clearly, an issue for you." Swank pushed his palms against the wall and stepped forward, as Benny opened the doors. "So, what happened?"

"Would you lay off? Go ankle bite someone else."

Swank snorted, though he seemed amused. "Are you talking to me here, or is Lee behind me and I don't know it?"

"Yeah, yeah, whatever." He stepped into his suite, allowed Swank to follow.

Follow he did, and Swank strode right up to the couch and hunkered down. Comfortable as a cat, he eyed Benny with clear appraisal. "So, what happened?"

He settled in next to Swank and pushed the plastered sweaty strands of hair back from his forehead and into a more reasonable style. Something classic and appealing. He refused to look into a mirror to see if this was the case; he'd have to admit that he'd gone out in public without making sure his hair was perfect if he looked now.

Swank coughed, an unsubtle move that made Benny sigh.

Fine. "He wants to go meet up with the Khans and get them on our side."

"Well then."

"Told him it's a bad idea." He hesitated, before he reached for the smokes. If Swank said something...

Swank shrugged, as though replying to that unspoken statement. Though, Swank shrugged a lot around Benny. "Lee seems to have a lot of those. Don't they usually turn out alright so far?"

"Sure, but that doesn't mean they all will. He's not even trying to even the odds. He just goes in swinging and hopes that's enough. I mean, what kind of..." Idiot wasn't the right word, but he'd be damned, he didn't know what word to put in there. Instead, he just petered out and lit his smoke. "You're right though. I shouldn't worry too much."

"Is it normal for me to worry when I hear the words 'you're right' aimed in my direction. From you, no less? My heart's beating like a jackrabbit here. Could die happy right now."

"You will, if you don't knock it off." He flicked some ashes into an ashtray Lee and Swank both insisted he used when they were present. That just made him drag harder, pulling in as much as he could from the cigarette.

"Oh, I'm shakin' real hard. Look at me go." Swank bent forward, looked up at Benny. "So what's the plan then?"

"What plan?"

"About Lee."

"I let him go. He handled other things just fine, no reason to think he can't now. He's a big boy."

"And, in a few days when you're scared for him and haven't heard word back yet?"

Benny couldn't grit his teeth easily when there was a filter right there tipped up in his mouth, but he had to remind himself of this several times. He removed the cigarette and tapped away another inch of ashes. "He can come to me next time he wants to. No more late night trips to the 38 for me, even to get lucky."

"That's the Benny I know and love. No more doting on him then? He makes his choices, you make yours?"

It came out worded like a trap, but he couldn't find it in him to care. If Swank was talking to him again, being his pal again, and all it took was Benny talking more out in the open with his guy, then he was happy for that. Still, agreeing out loud to something so boldly stated seemed like an off idea, so he shrugged.

"At least say you won't go gaga the next time he comes around. It's kinda embarrassing to even watch. He's got a leash, is all I'm saying."

Definitely Swank vying for something. Attention? Power? Benny?

Scratch that last one.

Benny shrugged harder, "He doesn't have a leash. I'm the one in control." Benny immediately didn't appreciate the arched eyebrow. "I am. He's doing everything just to make sure things run smooth for me. I don't even have to lift a finger."

"No, you just pay him off in bed then?"

He did not hit Swank, but boy did a remark like that remind him of the old days. If he'd said something like that to Bingo before the challenge... "No. He practically worships me in bed, so he's still doing everything for me."

"Oh, well good. No problems in paradise, my heart can rest easy." Swank pushed up from the squeaky cushion and took a step towards the door. He faltered a moment later, pivoted, and looked down at Benny. "But then, that'd be too easy, and you're already fumbling for a second smoke."

"You really know how to spin your wheels. What else have you got?" He did not fumble for his cigarette. Those soft packs always did that though, they were easy to access from his pocket and kept the right slender silhouette, but they were a pain in the ass to pull out.

"Lately, you've been acting crazy."

"Haven't we been through this? I told you all the plans, I've even--"

"I don't mean all that, though, I'm still not sure about the whole thing. But I'll put my chips in with you on that. I'm talking about him. He's got you wound so tight, you make me look like a still pond, Benny."

Any number of remarks wanted to leap free, but he just smoked and stared ahead. Finally, he snubbed out the ashes and came back with only half a cig left. "I've never been like that before, have I?"

"No."

He turned his head away. "Well. I'm not going over there anymore."

"Good. You've got your friends, he's got his. Just stick away, let us take care of you. You're a Chairman. You're the Chairman. We've got your back. No angry Followers or NCR rejects or whatever else over here, unless they're paying customers. You won't have to deal with them again."

"You're right. No more running over there. He can come here and talk if he wants to."

"Good." Swank stepped close, reached in to squeeze Benny's shoulder, then turned towards the door again. "Alright, I do actually have a shift tomorrow, and I know myself. I'm not gonna be able to stop in the middle of the chapter and go to bed, so I should get outta your hair and finish this book."

"Well go on then."

"Your messy, ridiculous-looking hair."

"Are you looking for a fight." But he laughed, felt all that tension melt away once more. Benny shoved at the small of Swank's back. "Get outta here."

"I'm serious, Benman, you gotta check out your style in the mirror, it's not on the level." But he took two steps away and grinned over his shoulder once out of Benny's reach. "Or maybe that sweaty 'I just had sex' look is the one you were going for? I'm sure it could catch on around here, worn by you."

Maybe he fumbled a little bit, putting the cigarette out and pulling for another. He really needed to put the ones from the soft packs into his silver case, but that always took time and he was a busy man.

Swank left, and Benny sighed when he finally heard the elevator doors close too, muffled as they were.

\---~~~---

"So, I get up to their red rock place, finally. And they're not kidding. Red, everywhere. Far as my eyes could see, there was red on black for their clothes, red rocks, red dust, red paint all over things, and only splotches of anything else." Lee passed a water over to Benny and one to Boone, who sat on either side of his own chair. He glanced up, seemed to take stock of if everyone had what they needed, and he finally settled in.

"I'm still upset you didn't take me. I've never been there." Veronica offered a pout, not unlike the one Lee could do.

"Well, no, I wasn't gonna take you there. I--I would have, but I left kinda way too late at night to take anyone. It wasn't a personal thing, but I'm sorry. Besides, at least now there's new friends, right?" He motioned loosely at Raul and Lily and glanced backward and up at Ed-E, who blooped with a tone that almost said happy.

He was reading into a machine's emotions, just like Lee would. Maybe he did spend too much time with the kid, even when the kid wasn't around much.

"But yeah, so I get up in there, and I see all these guys just absolutely destroying this young guy and I say, no, nuh-uh, no sir. So I climb up their fence and I go in--"

Everyone seemed to figure what it meant at the same time. Mouths snapped open, from Cass who lowered her full whiskey glass, to Arcade who adjusted his glasses, to Boone who never had much to say, but he seemed to here.

Lee put a hand up, "Nope, nope, I know, I know now. But I did what I did, and I went in there, and I started fighting them ‘cause this kid was unconscious and that's just wrong, I don't care if it's just what they do. Some sadist came up with that. Doesn't make the tradition a good one. And I don't care if that makes me small-minded, or like the Legion in that, or whatever other thing."

Slowly, mouths shut. But not Boone's. "So what happened?"

\---~~~---

"Get the fuck outta here!"

"Who the fuck is this kid?"

"You're dead!"

Too many voices, too many faces. Lee couldn't focus on anything but getting the fallen guy out.

Lee picked up the unconscious kid, tossed him out of the ring. The fall probably didn't feel great, but it was almost definitely better than being kicked in the face more.

Someone grabbed him by the shoulder, tossed Lee back. Another went to punch his face.

He rolled, kicked out, and jolted forward away from the fray. Despite all the punches he received, the bruises, cuts, and maybe even broken ribs, he kept his pace up and kept moving, up and over the makeshift fence. On the other side, he slung the boy about his shoulders and started at a run out along the dusty path.

"He's taking Jerry! Get him!"

Dirt and sweat pooled along his brows, stung his eyes in floods of salt and debris. He kept on running though.

"We can't shoot him though, he's got Jerry."

It occurred to Lee, after a moment, that maybe this Jerry guy was one of them. He didn't stop running, but he did become aware that the trail was blocked a hundred yards or so ahead, by a lot of big men and women who didn't seem too happy to see him.

Truthfully, he wasn't too happy to see them either. Lee finally stilled, from run to nothing in a moment, and looked right up at the man with the fading black beard.

"Who are you, that you come into our camp and violate Jerry's rite of passage?"

"All I saw was an unconscious boy being beaten to death."

"He would not be the first to die in the initiation, but he went into it willing to fall."

"Is that right? Well, maybe he can say as much when he wakes up, if he wakes up."

"I should have you torn into pieces for speaking to me in this way, for stomping over our traditions."

"You should try. Omertas and White Gloves sure as heck did." Lee shook his head. "Here, I wanted to come and warn you about what the Legion's got planned for you after the battle, but maybe it's for the best I leave alone. You wanna nap, you go right ahead."

A dark-skinned man stepped forward. "What you speak, you speak lies."

Lee stepped forward himself, met that unstated challenge. Another step and he was right in their space. "Mama said not to tell lies if I could help it, and I don't have a single reason to lie here. Came to help spread peace, but if Khans like you--"

"He is not a Khan. He is an emissary of the great Caesar himself, here to forge an alliance with us." The bearded Khan strode forward and reached for Jerry on Lee's shoulders.

Lee ducked away and offered a laugh. "Oh, hoo boy, have you got your ducks all outta line. If this guy's an emissary, then so am I. Caesar offered me his Mark, and I got a slave ledger what proves this guy's a fraud and planning to sell y'all off soon as you've fought for their cause."

"You don't believe this dog, wandering into camp and kidnapping your kind, do you?"

Eyes turned, focused on the Legionary. The helmet-clad man puffed his chest out, "Please, Karl. I want to hear this. What evidence do you have?"

"Papa Khan, surely--" Karl snapped his jaw shut, but held a sneer on his lips that he focused wholly on Lee next.

One raised hand, which turned and expected to receive the evidence.

Lee carefully crouched down and set the boy from his shoulders onto the ground. After a moment looking his injuries over and ensuring Jerry was still breathing, he turned right back to Papa Khan and tugged out a ledger he'd pilfered from a tent back on that damned hill. "Should be enough to show. Page after page, proof of tribes being sold off. Isn't that right, Karl?"

"As I have assured everyone, that is only for those tribes that refuse to ally, especially those that choose our enemies over us. As Great Khans have made it clear they will ally with us, we will ensure they are given their dues."

"Would their dues include elderly and sick being killed off? Tattoos being burned or scraped away, and women being sold as wives, if they're lucky?"

The circle was bigger than the fighting ring from before, but it began to close with dozens of Khans all around Papa Khan, Karl, and Lee.

Lee kept his chin up and jutted out, despite the bloody bruise he could feel forming. "Did you tell them how most all of them would have to sell at a lower price, because tattoos being removed means they might not live through it, and just about nobody wants deep marks on their slave's skin? Unless, a course, they put those marks there. C-can't forget that, no sir, we cannot."

Karl turned to Papa, shoulders set back like a man with not much else to lose. "He's lying. This is-- it's all slander. I don't care if that Mark--"

Papa Khan turned to Karl and tossed the book down to Karl's feet. "I look in your face, and I have misgivings about our alliance with Caesar. This book brings concern with it."

"I can allay any fears you have, but not if there's an upstart in the camp, abusing Caesar's Mark and selling falsehoods wherever he goes." He gazed with smoky angry eyes towards Lee, "Caesar would have you strung up upon a pole for your..."

"Truth? Yeah, he's not keen on people telling the truth, is he?" Lee shrugged. "If you wanna fight me, if you want all your people to do it, then fine. Had nothing more than a machete on me when I sent the White Gloves to a different pasture, cleared the deathclaw quarry, killed the Omertas, ended Legion in Nipton, and whatever else I've been up to lately." He acted calm, acted put together, but internally he felt an edge sharpening. All day, he'd felt that feeling in his stomach, like the acid churned away and left something more. Something harder.

It'd been why he sent Raul and Lily on home with Ed-E. He couldn't take them with, not if it was really that dangerous.

\---~~~---

"Uh, boss?"

Lee sighed, and placed his fork down, a wedge of gecko steak still on it. "Yeah, Raul?"

"As much as I appreciate you looking out for my ancient body, isn't that kind of the point of having people with you on the road? So you're not the only one being brutalized?"

"My pumpkin's just a very sweet boy, he didn't want Gramma getting hurt. Still, Jimmy, I wish you'd let Gramma take care of these things."

"Oh, Mema, don't you worry about me. I'm here, right? Besides," He plucked the fork up, idly twirled it around a bit, then chewed on a bit of unnamed meat. After a swallow, and another swallow for the water, he started up again, "I think the Khans won't cause trouble. Ended alright."

\---~~~---

"What do you have but your word to back up what you say, Karl?"

"I've been with your tribe for months now. If my word isn't as good as that of some nobody--"

"Some nobody important enough to Caesar that he gave me a Mark, to guarantee getting me safe to his land." He'd been taught not to stop someone else from talking, but boy did he have no patience for a man who lied so plainly and still twisted it all around.

"As I said," Karl pointed one long finger in Lee's direction, thick and accusatory. "He's no one. His word is nothing."

"I will determine that. You said that we would get land, that we would get to keep our identity. But I saw that isn't the case in the ledger at all. What do you make of that?"

"I-- I have already told you, Papa Khan. Those were unimportant tribes, no one nearly as-- as important as you people."

"You people?" Papa Khan said it louder. Others murmured, echoes of his voice in many tones, scattered throughout the canyon.

"I meant that only in the best way. You're excellent, such," a breath, and a slow building smile, until it stretched tight, "fearsome warriors."

"Yeah. Bet the Legion likes that, for the men at least. Should check the part where it says female ex-warriors should be broken before being sold, or sold at lower prices for those who wanna do the breaking. That is, if they don't just kill 'em." It wasn't even a part of the ledger, which was mostly a mishmash of numbers and clipped comments, but he hedged his bets that Papa Khan wouldn't check it.

"That-- it's hardly true! The Legion respects women who show themselves worthy of being warriors."

"So, how many Khans have seen women scouts runnin' about, or women in camps, or women in anything other than slave camps and naked and shivering on auction blocks?"

"I do not believe any of us have gone that far while Legion has been here."

"Interesting. Well, I had to go to a slave spot while I waited for the ferry up to Caesar, and the ones they sold there were ones Khans might object to. Or maybe not, I don't know. Different strokes." Hands in jeans pockets, Lee looked right into the leader's eyes.

For moments, Papa Khan's gaze didn't waver, until finally he turned his full attention to Karl. "You have deceived us, haven't you?"

Bared teeth, like a Legion dog. "And you're the one that fell for it. Savages, all of you."

"Great Khans! Teach this beast what we can do! If he's too slow to flee, kill him. Show no mercy!"

Lee watched a man die. He didn't do a thing about it. Instead, Lee brought up a swirl of dust with each step to the Khan leader. "So, can I take this as meaning you're gonna fight the Legion in this battle comin' up, or?"

"We will fight for honor and glory."

"That's not much of an answer."

"We do not serve the Legion, we will never again ally with the Legion."

"That's better than nothing." He looked to the boy down there on the ground, with swollen eyes and a bruised neck, among other injuries. "How come y'all were beating on him?"

"He's Jerry. He's tried our initiations many times, but failed all."

"Why would he stick around to be beat up?"

"Because he wants to be a Khan, or so he says."

"You don't think so?"

"He spends far too much time stuck in that head of his, and far less time understanding the glory of battle. He's nothing like you, a fine warrior. I've heard of you; that you kill with your bare hands, and brush off bullet strikes as though they were bloatflies."

"Bloatflies can pack a real wallop." Lee rubbed a shoulder, remembered such a time when his normal animal charm hadn't kept the flies at bay. Or maybe that's why they'd bit him and spit at him. He could never tell anymore.

Papa Khan laughed, as though this were all some joke. As though it were normal how readily the Great Khans returned from their kill and went about their business. A Legion man lay brutalized on the ground, looking even worse than Jerry.

Lee didn't kill like that. He didn't leave bodies looking like sides of tenderized meat.

"Since I went and helped you see the other side of the Legion, what does that mean?"

"The Great Khans are in your debt. We will consider you an ally, someone allowed to walk among us."

"And Jerry?"

Papa Khan sighed. "He will try again when he has healed. Though, the time between his attempts stretches further each try."

"Maybe he doesn't want to be a Khan."

"That thought had struck me. It's true, not all are able to join us. Our initiations are brutal, but so is our loyalty."

"If I ask him to go with me, would you let him leave?"

"You?"

"I'm the only one here, yeah."

Papa Khan crouched before Jerry, limber despite advancing age and slight girth. "Where would you take him?"

"Wherever he might wanna go. But it doesn't feel right leaving someone to stay and get beat up until they die, just because that's what they were raised to do."

"If he accepts, then he may go. But we don't take people back lightly. He would have to go through every step in the initiation first, not just the last one. Remind him of that." And then he turned and walked away, up the jagged slope of a path and into one of the long houses Lee had seen on his way in.

\---~~~---

"That can't be it. So, where's this kid? He shit himself when he woke up to everything, or what?"

"Oh, no, he was awake the whole time. He just didn't say a word. Turned out, he'd been too scared for a long time to bother to ask if they'd let him go."

"Sounds like a real skirt." Cass shoved another bite of gecko omelet into her mouth. "He should've just left. Like fuck I'd let a bunch of people beat the shit out of me, just to join some stupid club."

Lee shrugged. "Sometimes you just... you get used to being beaten down. Standing up sounds foreign. Still, he walked with me up until we got to the Followers, and now he's an apprentice, I think."

Benny finished his steak, and offered a sincere smile over to Lee. "Well, I think that's the best thing that could have happened."

"I do too." Lee matched that smile, doubled it even. "But I'm glad to be back. Mojave's hotter than hell and I kinda like we've got a working fan in here. It ain't much, but it's enough I don't feel like my shirt’s gonna fuse with my chest."

"Wouldn't want that." Benny sipped his wine.

Lee covered his blush with slight palms pressed to his cheeks as a few of the other people, ones Benny made specific note of for later reference, snickered with various degrees of subtlety.

Lee finally recovered and coughed. "Well, uh, I'm real tired, it's been a long," he gestured in a loose circle, "I don't even know anymore. It's been long. I'm hittin' the hay. I'll see everyone tomorrow. Night Benny, night everyone."

If they'd ended their last conversation on a peak of a fight, here it seemed to be fine. Benny nodded, waved Lee off, "I'll see myself out."

"You're welcome to stay a while longer."

"He says, _for us_." Arcade adjusted his glasses with his middle finger, as he always did when Benny was around. "I'll get the dishes."

"Oh, now I don't know why you two fight like that."

"Who's fighting, baby? I'm just eating my food." Benny finished off the last few bites, so Arcade couldn't take the plate early. It wouldn't be the first time the guy had made a move like that.

\---~~~---

"What's the matter with you?" Benny quirked a brow in Swank's direction.

Swank shrugged. "Nothing, Benny, nothing at all. Did you eat?"

"Yeah. What's it to you?" He shoved fists into his pockets, looked right up at Swank behind that desk.

"Well, Jimmy made a steak and sent it up, but you weren't there to receive it. I had him keep it warm. What do you wanna do with it?"

Accusation snaked its way into that otherwise friendly tone, and Benny didn't appreciate it. But seeing Jack right there to his right, he decided not to press it. "Have it sent up again. There's always room for steak."

"Should he send a dessert up too? Or did you already have your cake?"

Benny watched Jack turn his back to both of them, and step closer to a set of double doors away from the conversation. "Hey hey, fella, welcome to the..."

Benny focused back on Swank. "I didn't have any, no. So go ahead and have him send up something sweet."

"My shift's about to close. I'll bring it up myself."

"Whatever you want, Swank." He didn't do more than a backward wave goodbye before he stomped on over to the elevators.


	19. Nellis Air Force Base

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Swank and Benny play strip dice with Lee.

"Um... There are at least seven 4s. I think."

Swank glanced at his own cup of concealed dice, then to Benny's with the same suspicious expression, before he flipped his cup back and said, "Well, kid, I think that's a bluff."

Lee grinned, and Benny knew in an instant there was no bluff. He flipped his cup back and watched Lee gently set his aside.

"Damnit. Kid, are you sure you're not using funny dice?"

"He's not a--"

"I'm not saying he's a cheater, but then I'm also saying I know he got these dice from you, and well..."

"Oh, that's better. Real smooth, Swank, smooth. So now I'm the cheater?" Benny knew when Swank was teasing though. It was all in the barest twitch at the corners of his lips, and the way the eyes crinkled a tiny bit.

Sure enough, a moment later Swank sighed and rolled one of his dice into The No Man's Land at the center of the table. "Yeah, ok, but I'm tired of putting all my pay into this. I don't know how many more rounds I'm here for."

Lee palmed his dice right back into his tilted cup and shook them up way more vigorously than was necessary. He liked the loud noises. "Well, that's a shame. I always enjoy when you come around and we all have a nice time together. Maybe we could just cut the bets after this?"

"Then where's the fun in that?" Benny shook his with a few tosses, peeked at his cup contents, covered it, and waited. "If Swank can't handle the heat--"

"We could make the bets more interesting?" Swank had an angle, but it was drowned out in him matching noise level with Lee.

"Oooh, I like interesting. How interesting?" Lee flipped his cup over.

Swank matched pace with Lee, and all the noise stopped. Swank shrugged, as though he didn't know exactly what he was sidling around the conversation for. "I'd just rather hold onto my caps. There are other things I could see go though."

A pink flush rose like the red of an intact thermometer, and Benny understood the moment both of them reached the same level of pink.

Oh, now this felt like a setup. Still, he wasn't a coward. "Sure, what's the bet?"

"You wanna make it strip dice, don't cha?" Lee had just, the goofiest grin slapped across his freckled face. "Oh, and here I--"

"Now, don't go making it something it isn't, kid. This is just what us adults do. I mean, Benny and me, we used to do this all the time."

Lee pressed elbows to the table, palmed his chin, and kept that same obnoxious and infectious grin over his face. "Oh, you used to get each other naked, 'all the time'," his fingers took a break from touching his face to break out the air quotes, while his palm stayed pressed to his chin, "but neither of you ever did a thing more than that?"

"Why, are you jealous or something?"

Lee laughed, outright, into the face of Swank's clearly defensive question. "Honey, when this is over I'm gonna toss Benny on the bed and ravish him. You tell me."

Ok, this was enough. Any minute now his throat wasn't going to be parched so deep even his water bottle couldn't penetrate it, and then he'd--oh, bad thought. Worst thought. Damn it. "Y-you two just need to calm down. There's plenty of me to go around."

Lee would get angry, he'd shoot up as that little flash storm he could be when Benny said the wrong thing.

Lee just looked up at him with the same eyes he'd used when he was about to tug Benny back into the bedroom with nothing but his tie.  "There sure is, Swank, he said it himself. I dunno, Benny. You wanna play with nicer stakes?"

Swank had a clear sheen of sweat on his forehead, but he didn't wipe it away, he just eyed the two of them.

Benny did. Oh, God, he hadn't known how much he did, but he did. So he nodded and shrugged, and did not reach for a cigarette because he knew both of them would be on his ass for it.

Which, in different circumstances, he began to think, perhaps it wouldn't be so bad. Not so bad at all.

"Mm, gonna need a verbal confirmation, sugar, before I call my cup. Are we stripping or not?"

"Yeah." Benny and Swank said it simultaneously, just about one on top of the other.

"Well good luck, you two are gonna need it." Lee grinned wide. Suspiciously wide.

"Luck nothing, I plan to win by skill, baby." Benny scooted right forward in his chair and peeked at his cup.

"You've planned to win the last few games," Swank countered and peeked into his own cup's contents.

"I'll say there's six 4s." Lee glanced to Swank.

"Well, this time's different, Swank. Sign me up for six 6s."

"Someone's bluffing." Swank tipped his cup back again, then nodded. "One of you."

"Yeah, but I'm not calling it. Are you, Benny?"

"What is this, a shakedown?" Swank scooted back in his chair, shared his focus between the two of them and their cups. "Fine, Benny's bluffing."

Benny flipped his cup back with a triumphant grin. Four 6s. "If I am, then you two rolled awful, and I'm ashamed of you both."

Lee rolled his eyes but flipped his cup as Swank did. Two 6s between them both, split evenly.

Benny's wasn't a bluff. He grinned right up at Swank, winked. "Well, go on, give us a show."

"I'll show you something alright." A mumble more than anything, but Swank rose and unbuttoned his jacket, then he let it fall over the back of his chair. It was hardly a strip show, but Swank was hardly trying for it.

Still, Benny didn't mind the look. Suspenders over toned shoulders pressed tight against Swank's chest and abs. The straps held those pants up just securely enough.

Benny could never get around suspenders, but boy did Swank know how to pull them off. Not that Swank started with that part of it, yet. There was still another round, another time he'd get to see them snapped up and off.

"Alright, alright, quit gawking. You're next, Benny. You're going down." Swank seated himself and started up with the shaking again.

"Oh I'm sure he is, but aren't you forgettin' something?" Lee pushed his own dice back into the cup.

"Huh?"

"You lost another die."

"Oh for fu--fine. But I still think you're both pulling some hinky things with your dice." Swank tossed another die into the center of the table.

"Honey, don't forget who suggested strip dice." Lee sipped his water with about as innocent an expression as he could manage.

Swank grunted, checked his cup, and called a bid. "Four 2s."

Benny rolled his dice and called his bid immediately. "Three 4s."

"Mmm. You look a little nervous there, Swank. Is that because I'm calling your bluff?"

Swank tossed his cup back, "Well, let's see then." One single 2 graced his exceptionally small hand.

Lee shifted in his seat. Cup tipped over, two 2s showed plain as anything.

Benny swallowed stiffly. "Baby, it looks like you're out a shirt." A single 2, but just enough to free Swank from stripping.

Lee chuckled. "Well, I can't win 'em all. At least I get something outta this all though." Almost gingerly he tossed his first die into the center, then stood and carefully worked his way around each shirt button. He'd press one thumb on the center, and slowly work index and middle fingers around the edge to pull the material just a touch freer every moment. Each button, he worked it the same slow, methodical way.

Benny didn't really like the idea of standing up, with how this semi-impromptu strip was going. He didn't exactly want to advertise to them how it was affecting him.

Lee peeled the blue and yellow striped shirt right on down his arms and lightly draped it over the back of his chair. Finally, he sat. "This is much better than betting caps, if I'm speaking plainly here."

Agreed.

\---~~~---

Lee bit his lip, and leaned back real decadent in his chair, one hand along his little reddish treasure trail, the other at his throat, rubbing it in such a seductive way.

Lee wasn't even the one stripping, that was up to Benny now, the final contender who'd just lost his last die.

Benny pushed down the waist of his shorts, shimmied just a little out of them. So sue him, he was hard and up and ready for a good time. He was a man, this was titillating. He couldn't help it. When the head popped free, and smeared a bit of wetness along his shorts and then up against his belly, Lee wasn't the only one who groaned.

But, come to think of it, there were three noises there. Lee. Benny. Swank. Oh, Swank. He had that same look Lee did, just worn on a different face, with just a bit less movement of those pretty hands.

"You know, I think this means I win the whole pot." Lee stood up, with a salacious-looking heaviness to his own briefs.

"What? This ain't cards, baby, there's no--oh." Swank chuckled, more to himself than anything.

"Oh, sugar. What do you two say, do I win the pot?"

There was a reality where Benny said no, Lee pouted for a bit, and Swank got dressed and left.

This was not that reality, if Benny had any say in it. "Oh baby, of course you do. Fair and square. Right, Swank?"

"Sounds good to me."

Before he had time to think to the other universe where a Benny got Lee all to himself and maybe that was for the best, with how hungry Swank looked here, Lee caught them by the shoulders and pulled them forward. "C'mon, Swank. Don't feel like playin' over the table. Much more convenient with a bed."

"Oh, but it's so much more fun to be daring, don't you think?" But Swank moved swift, stepped right up next to Benny and they all crossed the doorway at about the same time.

"I do, but not right now. I'd prefer to enjoy my winnings slowly. Right there, all splayed out on the bed."

He wasn't one to say no to something he knew would make him sing loud enough they could hear him down at the Aces. Even with Swank there (especially?) he flopped over on the bed and gave his best modeling pose.

Swank followed his movements and lay flat on his back on the bed, head turned up to look at Lee with a grin.

Lee seemed to appreciate it, from the clear twitch of his hidden cock. "Oh, now don't you two look pretty as a picture. Hell, if I didn't think it'd get me in trouble..."

Swank shifted hard on the bed, so the mattress squeaked in protest, "Wait, you wanna... take a picture?"

"It-it would last longer." Lee tapped his chin, took a step back, and focused on them entirely. "But no, I don't think you two would go for it."

Benny thought about it, oh fuck did he. He wouldn't want anyone else seeing it, sure. But with Lee's little photo room in the 38, it could be private, right? If they didn't, just the thought of it made his belly flutter, excited to even consider something so naughty. So utterly filthy.

"Besides, I didn't bring Dinky with me."

Benny swung a pillow high in an arc and it smacked Lee right upside the head. Lee didn't stop laughing though, he just picked it up and came down hard on Swank and Benny.

Swank didn't even know what was going on, but he just as quickly grabbed a pillow and smacked Lee.

It didn't take long for Benny to have Lee on his back on the bedding. Though they both panted, he'd won.

"Now-- this, this isn't fair! Ganging up on me." Lee caught a breath, put a peaceful palm up, "Holding me down like that Benny, that's real low. Shame on you both, planning to do such awful things to me."

"I could do worse."

"Oh, baby, don't I know it." There came that lazy little loop of a smirk and Lee's fingers on Benny's shoulders. A moment later, he turned his head towards Swank. "Guess I know when I'm beat. Guess that's it then."

"To the victors go the spoils?" Swank raised his brows in Benny's direction.

Lee sighed and splayed himself out beneath Benny. "I s'pose there's no real choice for me."

"Uh huh." Benny kissed at his throat. "No choice. We're just real brutes, aren't we Swank?"

"Really, the worst. Legion's got nothing on us."

If Benny didn't know better, Lee's cock shifted awful hard under Benny's belly at that comment. He kept it to himself though and just raised a single silent brow and let Lee shift and squirm with clear embarrassed discomfort. "Let's get these shorts off, and see what you've got going for you." A look to Lee, a look to Swank, and he moved back and gave Swank a bit of room to help strip Lee down.

A look to Lee, a look to Benny, and Swank nodded and scooted right beside Benny, ready to strip Lee fully and enjoy him right beside his best friend.

The friend part of that was a bit more confusing than it had ever been, but Benny wouldn't complain. Things changed, they always changed, and he was nothing if not able to adapt. It's what made him the head of things.

"Stop staring and do something. I'm not feelin' all that patient today. Took hours to get you two--" For once, Benny didn't have to cut Lee's words short. Swank did that well enough on his own, with a mouth right there on Lee's.

Maybe it was too far, but Lee and Swank immediately settled in. Swank pressed hard against the other, while Lee keened and clawed at Swank's back.

Benny had done a threesome before, Hell, he'd managed a far-moresome back in the day, when he'd first entered The Strip. That was before the other Families arrived and before a sort of balance was met.

Lee whispered something to Swank, and Swank groaned. "Baby, are you sure you didn't tug my words right outta my mouth when we were lip locked?"

"I probably did, sorry."

"Apology definitely accepted." Swank had a layered look, caught somewhere in a mixture between massively turned on and devious.

The moment that devious pair of expressions aimed in his direction, Benny backed off. Finks, both of them. Just a bunch of cheating, lying, no good punks. "Oh, no you don't."

"But Benny," Lee sang at him, all while helping Swank hold him down. "You know you like playing rough."

"Cowards. Can't even take me on your own, can you?"

"Well, that's just patently untrue." Lee lowered his head over Benny's, upside down from Benny's perspective. "Besides. Just last week you said you wouldn't mind a bit more excitement. And baby, you look so excited with Swank there over you. Doesn't he, Swank?"

"He sure does. But hey, boss, if this isn't your style, I can hit the road. I won't bug you about liking it." He said it, right as one strong soft hand stroked along Benny's cock.

He had an out. A clear olive branch. A way to deny them doing whatever it was they had in their bad brains to do.

"Eh, do your worst. I'm not afraid." Lee's laugh and Swank's throaty moans over his length didn't change his mind, but they did make him consider just exactly how 'the worst' could be. Oh, the naughty things Swank had told him that he'd done with his partners. And he already knew Lee was a mischievous little punk.

Why, with both of them-- Benny broke that thought when he felt Lee's tip nudge against his cheek and smear a bit of pre-cum over it. "You aiming that for a reason?"

Lee played with tufts of his hair, worked his fingers in deep at the scalp in the way that made Benny croon. "I want you to suck it. I wanna see that pretty throat bobbing real nice with my cock alla the way in. I bet you can go deeper than Swank can."

Dirty boy, trying to make it a competition. But it worked. After half a second, he felt Swank's nose brush up against his thick black hairs, where it stayed for a few seconds. "Deeper? But baby, you'd have to have a bigger cock than me."

Lee tugged his hair hard, gave him a look. The Look.

Benny sighed, as though it were all putting him out so much, before he adjusted and took that cock in as deep as he could. It was a long time since when he'd first tasted Lee's length and he was a lot better at it. Where his jaw would give out far too quick before, here he found it somewhat easy to keep his mouth open and let Lee just push the cock all the way down his throat. He gagged, just a bit, but also found the position more comfortable for Lee getting all the way in.

Swank could suck it, literally, because Benny was winning.

"That's right baby, oh such a pretty face. Both of you, god you look so good like that. Like anything but especially like that." Lee always got so soft in his words, and it felt like he couldn't keep his little mumbles of praise in when Benny worked on him like this.

Praise seemed to get Swank going too, because every other word he moaned louder, lapped harder, pushed his mouth down deeper.

Lee pulled out. "Benny. Honey. I want you."

Swank pulled off with a wet pop. "Well, that makes two of us. How're we gonna do this?"

"Coin flip?"

"Whoa, hey, don't I get a say?" Benny sat up, half out of breath.

"Coin flip works for me," Swank smirked and seemed to ignore Benny on purpose.

"Oh, I get it, I'm nothing but a big piece of meat to you two." He huffed and pulled Lee into his lap. "Is that it?"

"Mmm, maybe. Sounds about right. How 'bout you, Swank?"

"I mean, boss, it's really just flattery, isn't it? We both want you." Still, that grin didn't fade, like this was all a joke.

The teases. Benny matched Lee's look and pressed his forehead against it. "Come on, no need to flip for it. I know just the thing." He flipped Lee over, pinned him right against the mattress. "Swank, would you check the nightstand for the lube? Can't have fun without it."

"Not that you haven't tried..." Lee flipped his expression to unimpressed, to match the tone.

"I apologized for that, it slipped my mind... Baby, you were so hot I could barely wait."

"Uh huh. Tell you what, it'd be some karmic rebalancing if I _'forget'_ sometime, but I won't because I'm a goddamn gentleman."

Swank laughed all the while, as though this were nothing more than card table banter. Like they weren't all nude and rolling about in bed, looking for satisfaction.

Somehow, that made it all better. This was normal. This was relaxed. It was give, and take, and push, and pull, and oh god Lee's hand tugged at his cock and made him curl over Lee and nip at that exposed throat. "Naughty boy."

"You know it. You got that lube, Swank? Benny's going nowhere fast without it."

"I do. Even uncapped it for you," He handed the bottle in question over.

Benny readied his fingers and cock as quick as he could. "And that's why you're my right-hand man."

"Oh, is that why?" Lee and Swank both.

He muttered while he worked his first finger into Lee, "What is this place, a cave? I could swear I heard an echo in here."

"You know, when I said I wanted you, Benny, I was thinking a bit different than Lee. I'd rather swing a different way, you dig?" Swank plucked up the bottle, raised it up near his questioning expression.

He dug. It wasn't as though he hadn't. Lee'd gotten him to loosen up about it a month or so prior, literally and figuratively. But still.

Swank had that Swank smile, that glowing charisma, that pose that said confidence.

"Yeah ok." He thought maybe alternate reality him, him from a few months back really, would chew him out for that. Head Chairman, Top of the Tops, being topped by his best buddy, the one who kept things smooth and in the groove? Was he looking for trouble?

Swank kissed the back of his neck, and ran slick fingers along Benny's back, until they got to the small and stopped, worked their magic touches back up to his neck and spread along his shoulders.

"You tease." Benny didn't mind.

A whisper everyone could hear, but Swank delivered it hot at Benny's ear, "This is nothing compared to how much of a tease you've been."

Lee rumbled beneath Benny. "Oh, had he teased you all that long?"

"Baby, you have no idea. Years."

"And I thought a week was bad for him."

Swank laughed, and it flowed so nicely with Lee's own.

Benny didn't mind being there in the middle, shared between his two favorite guys. Didn't mind wasn't quite right. He was so for this. More for it than he'd ever even let himself consider.

Benny moaned with Swank's first finger and thrust a bit more into Lee with his three digits. "I'm right here, you know that, right? Because I think--"

Swank played hard, pressed that second finger in right as he kissed at Benny's jugular. "Hey hey, we know that. How could we not? You're the main attraction between the two of us. We want to enjoy you."

Well, that gave him a little shiver shake, and he pressed back against Swank's movements, all while he pushed deeper with his own fingers into Lee. "Well, when you put it like that..."

"Benny, I want you all in me. I don't wanna wait." Impatient legs tried to wrap about Benny's waist, but Swank pushed them back down.

"You're not the only one here, kid."

"Who're you callin' kid, old man?"

"Oh, if he wasn't in the middle..."

Lee laughed, and spread his legs once more, though he didn't push them up over Benny's hips or shoulders like usual. "C'mon, please."

"You talked big, about ravishing him, but seems like you're the one that takes it." Swank worked those two fingers like he'd done it before. Like he was something of an expert at it.

Lee didn't even reply to that throaty comment. He moaned low and let Benny slide so easily into him.

By the time Swank finally dipped in, Benny could hardly keep himself from shooting into Lee, but he did. He slowed his pace from brutal how Lee loved it, to an easy Sunday stroll. Swank matched that pace, and the three of them just pressed and pressed against one another.

A minute in, after soft cries and little pleasant mumbles to Benny and Swank both, Lee's impatience flared up again. "If someone doesn't hurry up and--"

"Like this?" Swank slammed in, and Benny had to do the same.

A chorus of soft sighs and Benny tried it this time, pushed forward, slammed back. The chorus grew louder, heavier, until he really couldn't hold off.

He wasn't too quick before the other two, he noted with some satisfaction. They lay on his right, and on his left, panting but looking just as satisfied as he felt.

\---~~~---

Benny awoke. He glanced over and saw Swank still sleeping with such a content, relaxed expression. It warmed him up a bit, seeing Swank finally just calm, even if it was just in his sleep.

Lee was upright, but he seemed still. Nothing but soft breaths left Lee.

"Something wrong?"

"I've got one last big job to get to before that battle, you know?"

"Yeah?"

"And I really can't take anyone with me. If I go back to the 38, someone's going to know I'm leaving, and next thing I know, they're all gonna be risking their necks for me."

"So you wanna leave from here?"

"I hope you're not mad. I'm sorry if you are. But yeah. I'm going."

"Where?"

"To go see the Boomers. Better I get to them and convince them, than the Legion."

"And if you get a lot more than just shell-shocked?"

Lee's shoulders sagged, for just a brief moment, before he sat as straight as he possibly could. "Well. You have Swank. And in the 38 they like you fine."

"Arcade hates me."

"I think he hates most everyone, it's not personal."

"It's _definitely_ personal with me."

"Ok, _yeah_ , with you, it is. You did a number on that Emily lady. You should apologize to her. It was pretty awful."

"Baby."

"I'm just saying. Apologies are the mark of people trying to be better. It's a strength, not a weakness."

Benny caught just a flutter of movement in his peripheral and glanced back towards Swank. The guy had one eye peeped. Benny sighed and returned his attention to Lee. "Maybe I will. And a word of advice?"

"Yeah?"

"Tony said there's a way to get at least halfway there. You should talk to him."

Swank sat up and stretched tall, with one arm so high up and the other pushing into the bed. "Right, something like some little hole in the wall, and I mean that literally."

"Where at?" Lee finally turned, looked at them both with curiosity.

Benny shrugged. "Best to ask Tony. He knew a guy who almost made it all the way, but they got cold feet and hot footed it outta there."

"I'll go check it out, thank you."

"Don't get yourself blown up. I changed my mind. I kinda like you being around. It means I don't have to be the only one dealing with Benny's bull."

Benny shoved him. "You're cruising, pal."

Swank grinned over his shoulder at Benny, then made his way towards the door. "I don't know about anyone else, but I could use some grub if I'm up anyway. Maybe breakfast before you head out, kid?"

"Breakfast could... I could eat."

"Then it's settled." Swank stepped out of the room, and spoke up a bit louder. "I'll call down for it."

Lee collapsed over Benny, held tight to him in a hug. "I'll be back real soon, alright? You don't have to worry a bit."

"Of course, I know that." He lied, softly. Gently. He rubbed his hands through that soft hair, down that sloped back. "Now, I don't know about you, but I could use a shower."

"Me too. Which is funny, because I know I'm just gonna get dirty again."

Benny grinned.

Lee rolled his eyes, "Not like that, you naughty man."

With a shrug, Benny moved off the bed. "Whatever you say, baby. You were the one who moaned the loudest tonight."

"Says the guy who just about huffed and puffed the walls down."

"You say that like it's a bad thing. I happen to know how hard that makes you, thanks to that stain you got up against my stomach, kid."

"Whatever." Lee followed after him, right into the bathroom.

Breakfast was as tasty as it always was. Jimmy was a real star chef.

Then Lee was gone.

\---~~~---

“It’s fine. Bad blood, and all that. I don’t blame Pacer for thinking we’re all finks.” He sat where the King gestured and nodded toward the King’s right-hand man.

“Oh, you’re trying to trick us, huh? Just like those NCR dogs that come barking around here?” Pacer wound up just like Swank would be, if situations were reversed and the King had been the one asking around, looking for a meeting.

Benny shook his head and tried to focus on the good. It wasn’t just about him, or how he felt about the guy. It was about New Vegas. “I love New Vegas, just as much as anyone.”

“Oh, I’m sure you do. Must be nice, living in one of those fancy suites.” King had some of that same bite Pacer did, and a clear look to his face that said Benny better talk fast.

Benny looked about King’s room, and while it wasn’t perfect, and it wasn’t quite as nice as Benny thought his own place was, it wasn’t scraping the barrel to get by. Well, it didn’t matter. “The Strip’s got some openings.”

“So fill them.” Pacer stepped, foot to foot like he had somewhere else to be. Or like he was hopped up on something. Benny had heard the rumors.

Benny focused back on King. “As far as Swank, Lee, and me are concerned, you’d be prime people to put in one of the casinos on The Strip. Whichever one you wanted, besides ours and the 38.”

Well, there was a look. A thin brow rose, and King leaned in from his comfortable chair and looked right up at Benny. “Well, that sounds like it’s strung up with a catch if I’ve ever heard something that was.”

“Only catch is, securitrons are in charge of securing things outside of The Strip.” A mistake, but he didn’t catch it in time. Their scowls were enough to set him back a pace, to seemingly admire the pool table. “It’s got benefits.”

“Oh, like bending over and taking it for a buncha bots?” Pacer stepped up beside him. “Or, maybe that boy of yours will just go and spread our--”

“Pace! Now, let’s not go bugging him about that. I’m more concerned about why you’re coming to us about being in a casino now, when they’ve been empty for a while now. What’s the sudden rush?”

See, this is why Benny could at the very least respect the King himself. He turned and fully faced the man, then glanced to Pacer for a moment. “Well, because I didn’t think you’d go for it. You never went for talking with the NCR, and they’re our best customers.”

“I told you, he’s sucking their tit too.” The words were mumbled though.

Benny wanted to punch Pacer right in the jaw. He’d done it before. He’d been punched, too. But no, he stood tall and ran his fingers along his lapels. “Look, the offers on the table. NCR is old news soon enough, they won’t be here making everyone run like refugees. If you want in, get in, if you don’t--”

“King! There’s some robot outside asking for Benny.” A dark-skinned King leaned into the doorway, with a sweaty shine on his brow, and a serious expression on his face.

“Well, did it say what it wants? We’re in a bit of a meeting here.” King stood though and eyed Benny. “You better not have--”

“Is it about Lee?”

“Yeah, he’s back in town, but he’s actin’ funny. That’s all smiley had to say.”

Benny tapped the pool table, then turned to King. “Look, I wanna pick this back up. Being on The Strip, it doesn’t have to be like it was when House was calling the shots. In fact, it’s so far from it that my own guy, Swank? He's still reeling. You’d probably adjust easier than the Chairmen did. Without him, there are no real rules, just don’t start fights you can’t finish.”

“Well, that’s about what rule your Lee followed by, isn’t it?” One last challenging statement, though the King’s expression seemed to have softened a bit.

“He did. Thought they were a buncha finks, he was right, and now they’re dead. You might not like me, but I respect your group. And Lee has a soft spot for you all, for some reason. Go figure, kid’s got a few too many screws loose. Speaking of, I have other business.”

“Well, go on then. And maybe take Rex with you. I know he likes going for visits onto The Strip and I know Lee treats him well.”

It was something of a command, but Benny didn’t mind. Rex was a good boy.

\---~~~---

“He won’t talk to us.” Arcade seemed unimpressed that Benny had shown up, but still, he gave a quick rundown. “He’s just humming and cutting potatoes.”

Benny peeked into the kitchen and witnessed it for himself.

Lee shook, and he didn't stop. He kept his stare focused right ahead and chopped dozens of potatoes up. Whole ones filled the counter space.

"Baby. Wanna talk about it?"

"Nope."

"Alright."

"Oh, please. ‘Alright’ means, 'until I can figure out how to make you talk' and it won't work. I don't wanna talk. I'm not gonna." He minced this potato, even though the rest cut were in an even dice.

"No, it means, 'Alright, I respect what my boyfriend says he wants.'" He stepped up beside Lee and looked about for the cookbook, for some indication that he could take up a step and help. There was nothing but potatoes. The entire counter was covered in it, with only a few flour and sugar jars and other assorted things cluttering it up between the potatoes.

"Oh, you're real clever." Lee started in slices now, no more mincing, no more dicing. "Well, fine then, get me some oil out. I want fried potatoes, and baked potatoes and more potatoes than any of us can even eat. And then? Then!"

"Yeah? Then what?"

"I'm taking them over to Freeside and I'm gonna talk to the King about if he wants to take a more active part in The Strip. See if we can't all smooth over that stupid bickering you two go on about all the time."

Benny ate a raw potato slice and nodded. "Already got that going."

"Come again?" Not the dangerous kind, thankfully, since Lee was skilled with a knife in all manners of speaking.

"Well, I apologized to Emily. Then I walked over and told King maybe he could move his guys onto The Strip. Swank agrees. We can't run all the casinos, we don't have the manpower. So why shouldn't they join up too? Plus, you nagged at me to."

"You are just... you are unbelievable! You know that?"

The knife raised, and Benny didn't step away, but boy did his heart beat a bit harder than he liked.

"How am I gonna be mad when you're being so reasonable? Everyone's being so reasonable! Everyone's being so goddamn nice I can't even stand it!" He set the knife down, flat, on the table. "I tried and I tried to be reasonable with the Boomers."

"Oh?"

Lee stopped shaking, from hands to his knees, to the set of his shoulders, he stilled. "I sure did. And you know what I got? I got called a savage. And they meant it 'nicely'. I wasn't like those 'other savages'. Even when I bit my _fucking_ tongue until it bled red on down my throat, even when I kept doing nice things for them and trying to convince them to be better, they called me it like it was a _fucking_ nickname. A term of endearment. Like... like baby."

"Jesus." He nearly called Lee baby. He nearly put his hand out and touched Lee. But he held still, waited.

"I thought... boy I thought Legion was awful in how they looked at me. Never... boy, no sir, never thought I'd be called somethin' actually worse than what The Board called me when they tossed me into an irradiated wasteland and expected me to make it into a home with no _fucking_ clue what I was doin'. All I got to take was Mama's old knife. And I'll tell you one thing, knives are for cooking, not killing. I didn't know how to do neither at the time. That thing broke, and a part of me did too. I tried to be good, I tried to be better."

"You're good, baby."

"No. I ain't."

"You are, Lee. Look at me. Look at your friends. They're here, and they want to be here. For you."

"I gave that Pearl lady a chance. I should've just left, but when I tried, I got told it was mandatory to meet with her. I tried to tell them, no, I do not particularly care to stay. But they wouldn't let me leave. They had their howitzers, and their fat men, and their everything. I can't outrun a missile aimed right at me, less than a hundred feet away."

Veronica intoned. "You didn't have a choice."

"Everyone has a choice." Lee slapped the cutting board, forced starchy slices to slide everywhere, despite the wet drag.

"Whatever choice you made, it was the one you had to." Boone then.

"Maybe. Maybe." Lee pulled back from the cutting board. "Baby, please get some oil going, wanna make some hash browns, just like Mema used to make. I could use a little comfort right now. And maybe a little music too, Raul, didja get that jukebox working again?"

"I sure did, boss. It's almost like I've got two centuries of fixing things under my belt."

Lee grinned, "You and your sassy mouth, I swear. I'm glad you're around, Raul. Everyone. Now, unless you all wanna be loaded up on just potatoes, someone else should get in here and figure out something else to make. We've got hash browns, and scalloped potatoes, and oh, could do some mashed potatoes and..."

Benny looked back at Arcade once he'd gotten some oil going in a pan.

Arcade shrugged and stepped towards the pantry. "Mac and cheese? Or, I'm fairly certain there's some gecko eggs in the fridge. We could do a quiche."

"Well, that sounds just delightful. Oh, what about a mac 'n' cheese quiche?"

"That's an interesting gastronomic experiment. I'm certainly interested to know how it would taste." Arcade's face betrayed his true thoughts, though he seemed weary enough of Lee’s mental state and how he wielded that knife to keep his tone simple.

Cass pulled out a few eggs from the second fridge, "Sounds like bar food. Fancy ass bar food. I'm in."

"Good. Cass, you and Arcade, you work that quiche up, and we'll all work together and get dinner done in a jiffy. Like a big ol’ family."

No one said a word about the time. It was delicious when everything finished, hot, fresh, greasy, cheesy, and filled with far more potatoes than Benny had ever eaten in one go. And so was dinner a few hours later, when they reheated the food and didn't say a thing about the timing of everything.

Lee just kept that happy smile on, and he talked about everything he could. Except for Nellis Air Force Base, and those who were called the Boomers.

Maybe they still were, if they still existed. Benny wasn't sure. And he wasn't about to ask, when Lee looked like he was too happy to have friends so close to him.

"Cap for your thoughts, Benny?"

"You're not going anywhere else big before the battle, right?"

"Not as far as I know. I'll... I'll let y'all know if that changes, but I really don't think so." He forced the laugh out, higher than it should be, before he stretched his voice back down, "No, I'm beat after that whole," vague gestures turned to wild ones for a stretch of time before Lee settled. "I am tired."

"I'm glad you're here," Veronica spoke over a glass of brahmin milk. "Who else would buy me new dresses whenever I ask?"

Lee snorted into his water. "Well, somewhere a leggy brunette is wondering where some beautiful lady is who wants all these dresses she's got in your size."

"In a perfect world." Veronica stabbed at a chunk of steak on Cass' plate and popped it into her mouth. She ducked under the smack, but still got caught a bit on the top of the head. "Hey, ouch!"

"Yeah, in a perfect world _someone_ doesn't always steal the best part of my plate." Cass tipped a shot of moonshine back.

"Whatever, you left it there, begging for a home! That home just happened to be, you know, in my belly."

Lee's laughter at their nonsense was all it took for Benny to finally ease up a bit. "Wanna come back to The Tops and play some dice with me and Swank later?"

"Oooh, what kinda dice?" Veronica leaned in, elbows on the table, eyes focused on the two of them.

"Strip dice," Lee answered plainly.

Veronica made a face and turned back towards Cass. "Ok, so in the interest of not hearing anything else they say tonight... wanna go to the Wrangler with me?"

"Sure. Could use a bit of fun after today." Cass kicked back from the table and stalked to the exit.

Veronica winked at Arcade, and Benny caught the look. She noticed him noticing, and winked at him too, while pointing at Cass and waggling her brows suggestively, like waves on Lake Mead.

Benny chuckled and finished up his own reheated steak. "You sure know how to pick friends."

"He sure does." Arcade calmly drank his wine, with green eyes that didn't waver in the least in their gaze on Benny. "Sometimes."


	20. Lucky 38 Presidential Suite

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Benny doesn't mean to eavesdrop on lots of conversations. But he does.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alcohol plays an extremely big role in this entire story. So does depression, anxiety, phobias, self-loathing, potential suicidal ideation, and lots more things. In this chapter, while it's upbeat, it's also potentially draining if those topics affect you.
> 
> Please keep yourself safe.

Rex wasn't an all the time guest in the 38, but when Lee brought him around, both of them grinned like fools and were much louder than usual.

"Yeah, you're such a good boy!"

Rex barked, and a shiver of excitement went through his body, from proudly raised head to tail that wouldn't quit vibrating.

"The best boy! Oh, yes, you sure are. What a good dog. Yeah, you wanna fetch?" He lifted an ancient leather ball up, then swung it and tossed it out across the way. "Go get it, boy!"

Rex took off after it, darted between legs, and around couples walking along The Strip until he found it. With proud little doggy steps, he made his way back towards Lee.

Benny stepped up closer. "Here, I thought I was the best boy."

"Oh, I didn't realize you were a boy. My mistake. I'll call you BenBoy from now on." He leaned up closer to Benny, onto his tiptoes.

Benny gave him a kiss, and barely stiffened when he considered that it was in front of the Lucky 38, not tucked safely inside it.

Lee noticed it though, he must have, because he pulled away with that look.

Benny offered an apologetic smile, "I'm just not used to it yet..."

Lee sighed but took Rex's ball. "I know. It's a far cry better than before though. S'pose I'll take my wins where I get them."

Rex barked, and happily sniffed Benny's crotch.

Lee smirked, covered his mouth, then outright laughed. "Aww, he likes you."

"He's just about your only friend who does." But he couldn't help but grin too, even as he shooed Rex back to Lee.

\---~~~---

Benny entered as he always did, quietly. He heard talking, and by then he was used to it enough that he waited until he could hear Lee's voice, and he started off in that direction. Towards the kitchen.

"I've been thinking."

"Uh oh, boss, wouldn't want you to stress yourself out too hard."

Lee's light laugh lit up the room more than dim bulbs could. "You and me both, but I've gone and stressed myself anyway."

"Well, if it can't be helped, you might as well get it off your chest."

"I kinda hate what I'm like now."

"Bold starting statement, but if you give me something more to work with, I'll do my best, boss."

"I am, I am, just hold onto your horses. And people say 'the youth' are impatient these days. They've never talked to an old ghoul before."

"Probably, no, they haven't. Lucky them."

Another laugh.

Benny peeked in to watch.

They seemed hard at work with rolled up sleeves, making something that involved big blocks of dough. Lee's shirt was absolutely coated in white, with only peeks of gingham blue and pink popping out.

"Alright, well, it's just. I kinda like what people think of me, and old Lee would hate that."

Raul pulled his glove on further up his arm and nodded. "Go on, unless you want my no doubt riveting commentary."

"Well, I do, but maybe after? I just, you know how you were angling about Ranger Andy, and you wanted to know what I thought about him being outta commission? And I said, he's old but he's still good and doing what he can. And somehow in alla that, you got this idea that you should don your old outfit and fight people again."

"Was-- was that not what you would do?"

"I think it is, actually. I didn't know you'd do it, but I probably would, if all that happened to you happened to me."

"So what's the problem, boss? I'm not really understanding what you're going for here."

"I just. I like hurting people, maybe too much. I kinda like the fear that it gets. It makes people think twice before they make a move."

"Ah."

"I don't like it though, I don't like feeling like I'm..." Lee punched his own dough, over and over, he kneaded it a bit more vigorously than whatever recipe in the cookbook they used probably called for.

Raul waited until those fists stopped before he sidestepped closer to Lee. "You're young. You have time to figure this out."

"I don't feel like I have time. That big battle's coming up, and I feel like I'm sinking into the mud of it, and I'm never gonna get out. Cachino kept saying, time and time over, he said he'd stop. And he kept doing it."

"What, making sure innocent people and good people lived another day, even if it meant killing others? Man, boss, you never told me he was anything more than a perverted rat who beat women. If I had only known what a regular saint he was, I might not have gone with you after you saved me from Rhonda."

"Ok, fine, no need to be sarcastic."

"Sorry, boss. It's second nature at this point."

"I know." Lee punched at his dough, then worked his knuckles into a slow, regular kneading.

\---~~~---

"Heya Cass."

"Hey, Lee." Her speech didn't slur, and sometimes Benny would think that meant someone was sober. He wouldn't bet on it with her.

She didn't particularly like Benny, so he held to the hallway and listened, waited for Lee to leave so he could talk a bit.

"Well, spit it out, I've got drinking to do."

"Remember how we met?"

"Heh. First time, or second?"

"Well, the second time I guess."

"I sure fucking do. Gave you a split lip, and we shared a bottle of whiskey." A glass hit the table. Probably Cass'.

"Do you ever think that maybe alcohol isn't the answer to everything?"

"Nope."

"Oh. Well..."

"Is this an inter-fucking-vention? Because if it is--"

"Not for you."

"Who the fuck for?"

"I've been reading books about alcoholism lately, and I think I've got most of the signs of it, and I don't want to. I'd like to stop."

Cass' swallow was almost comically loud.

Benny shut his eyes and listened.

"How can I help? Is this... is this gonna be like some Followers camp now, no booze, no sex, no fun or?" The tone held a tinge of apprehension and a shitload of Cass' normal teasing.

Lee took the right thing from it and laughed. "No, I think I'd just like to not have people fill my drinks so readily. I know it's... polite? I don't know, it's what everyone does, but I only wanna drink a little, even though I always drink a lot. Moderation is key, I read."

"Well good for you, figuring out what you want. I sure as shit don't see why it'd be a problem. Sure. Don't try to control what goes into my mouth, and I won't judge you for what goes into yours. Except Benny."

He heard Lee begin to stammer, and something loud crinkled.

Benny entered the room while he adjusted his tie. "I heard my name, but not from Lee's sweet lips. That seems like a problem."

"Hey, Benny." Lee beamed up at him, water bottle crumpled over itself a bit in his hand.

"You're who I wanted." He moved behind Lee, leaned over his shoulder, and gave him a kiss, right on the lips. With tongue. Take that, bitch.

Cass grunted, grabbed her bottle, though not her glass, and stalked out of the recreation room.

\---~~~---

"Hey, Veronica? You have a minute to spare?"

"Yeah, but only one. Maybe two, if you ask real nice."

"What about three, since I gave you that dress?"

"Wow, you're a real bargain hunter. Alright, three minutes, final offer. Starting... now!"

Lee wasted a few of her seconds with a chuckle before he continued. "Well, you always seem really happy, and that's great."

"Uh huh. Oh, you're not going to ask me to tone it down, are you? Because sorry, my dial goes from here to about a Lily in happiness, I can't go to Boone or Cass. I definitely can't do Leo."

Another laugh and Lee lowered his voice a little. "No, no, honey, that's not what I want. I wanted to know if there was anything I could do for you."

"Umm, not that-- well maybe if you gave me another dress. I know I have an entire closet full of what dead cannibals used to wear, and I love them, I do! But since you're asking..."

"Sure! We could maybe pop by Mick 'n' Ralph's, I know they've got a whole buncha things in there, maybe they've got something you'd like."

"Wow, and here you haggled for three whole minutes of my time, and you're just trying to make me even happier. If you were a leggy brunette, I'd have you in bed in a minute." She snapped.

They both laughed at this, and just as soon as that, they both stopped. "I'm just, if you ever wanna talk about what happened, back in that bunker, I'm open ears. Can't help but worry it's my fault a bit."

"It's not."

"I pressed hard, I told you what I'd do, but I went and got myself tossed out for... for..."

"The same reason? More or less. I mean, sure, one was a Vault, the other a Brotherhood bunker, but that's potato to potato talk, right? Besides. You wanted to leave for a similar reason. You just needed a push. Yours was being literally pushed, and mine was--" She laughed, then stopped, as though her own laugh shocked her.

Lee's voice went real calming, real quiet. "I'm sorry. About all that. It's not your fault. That's on them. They treated you wrong, and they're the ones that pushed you away and hurt those Followers."

"Yours did too, pushed you, I mean."

"I-I know that. Usually. I just, I wanted to let you know, I'm here for you. I don't want you feeling alone. You've got friends, people who care about you."

"Thanks. But right now, I think a little shopping therapy would do me a lot more good than talking about who I used to live with and the awful things they did. Do." The chipper had a crack, and that crack just kept expanding as Veronica spoke. "Besides, I saw a dress that I think would knock Cass' socks off. And maaaybe some other clothes too."

"Well, hell, can't complain there." Footsteps moved towards the kitchen door.

Benny slunk quickly into the rec room and pulled a pool stick off the wall. He swallowed hard, and only breathed fully once the elevator shut once more.

Arcade eyed him. "You look nervous."

"Nope."

"Right. Well, it's just me here, and I'm reading. I don't suppose you... want to play a game with me?"

"That could be fun."

"It could be." Arcade kept reading. He turned the page, and green eyes just kept focused on the book and not even acknowledging that Benny was there.

Eventually, Benny just set the balls out and played a game by himself.

\---~~~---

"I just, I really like him."

"I know."

"I don't know if I should tell him things I'm feeling, like, all of it. Sometimes..."

"I know that feeling, definitely. Unfortunately." Arcade's voice was wistful.

Cushions shifted. "You said lovers make poor confidantes, but what if I wanna confide in him?"

"Well. You could."

"Have you? Confided in others, I mean. Guys you love."

Benny swallowed thick and did everything he could to keep upright. Love.

"I... Lee," and the tone was of someone who very much didn't want to burst a bubble, "you're you. I'm bitter and jaded, and quite a lot older, though not as old as I think Benny is--"

"Arcade."

"Look, what I'm trying to impress upon you is that I'm me, and you're you. And while yes, I know you are fully cognizant of the theory of mind and are aware we are different and have different thoughts and feelings, it still bears repeating. I don't tell lovers much of anything at all about myself. I don't... I'm not as open as you are."

"Someone hurt you?"

"Someone turned me in."

"That's despicable."

"Yes. Yes, it is. Someone I cared for very much decided I was not worth caring about any longer, and they informed the NCR of my family associations. And so, you can see why I would personally not tell anything about myself to that snake you keep bringing around."

"Arcade."

"Alright, I'm sorry. That Chairman. Happy?"

"You're impossible." But Lee seemed a bit happier, with that higher lilt in his voice. Cushions squeaked again, and Benny wondered if they were both seated on the couch. Maybe. He couldn't tell from his spot in the hallway.

"He does seem to sincerely like you though."

"You think so?"

"I said I think so. I've learned I shouldn't trust my judgment with men either way, unfortunately."

"Then how come you trusted me?"

"Well, I. That's obvious."

"Oh, really?" Honest surprise played out so cleanly in Lee's voice.

"You see things that need doing, and you do whatever you can to assist. You're trustworthy, to the point of it being almost ridiculous, and somewhat self-flagellatory."

"N-no I am not! And it ain't."

"And you're bashful about being so honest. That's just absurd."

"You're absurd!"

"I've given that due consideration, and decided that yes, I am."

He really needed to stop hearing things like this. It was getting to be a habit, and he wasn't even doing it on purpose. Benny turned back towards the elevator and made his escape. He'd talk to Lee later.

\---~~~---

Benny gave a tight side hug to Swank, right around the waist. "I'm telling you, it's great, alright? I mean, sure, not everyone's warmed up to me yet, but they should cut you some slack."

Swank sighed. "I'm only here because Jimmy's sick and I'm hungry."

"The food's Grade A. When this all settles down and Vegas is ours for sure, no Legion, no NCR, I'll see about getting some of them in at the other casinos as chefs..."

"Couldn't hurt. Alright, but if anyone gives me lip, I'm out."

"Well, I'm not promising anything. Besides, you give as good as you get." Pleasant smells drifted by and Benny inhaled deeply. "Just smell that. Tell me that doesn't smell good. Jimmy's a good chef, don't get me wrong. But this is home cooking."

"Yeah, Benny, remind me of all the ways this place is better than The Tops. Again."

"I'm not saying-- would you just quit? I finally start telling you what's what, and all I get is pecked at." It startled him, after a moment, the phrases that came out of his mouth. Maybe he was spending more time with Lee than he realized.

Swank noticed. He rolled his eyes but nodded. "Fine. It smells great. Think, muttfruit pie maybe? Man, I can't remember the last time I had pie..."

"Probably. You wouldn't believe how good Lily is at baking. Even with those massive hands of hers..." He patted Swank on the shoulder, "You know where the kitchen is. I'll be in there in a minute."

"Oh, good, leave me alone with them. That's just ring-a-ding, Benny. Does anyone even know you invited me?"

"Uh. Guess you'll just have to use that Swank charisma you pull at the door, but up here, until I get back." Benny ducked into the bathroom. Last time he'd sat at the table and lied about washing his hands first, Lily had threatened to paddle him, and as much as he didn't believe she would (right?) he didn't want to see Arcade's smirking face at another threat.

Especially when Arcade was the one who casually suggested maybe Benny hadn't washed up, when they all had.

At the door, he paused when he heard Lee's voice, so soft. Benny carefully stepped into the hallway, across the way to the 'guest' bedrooms that had been fully converted into much more private spaces for everyone.

"I like that book." Lee had his usual happy chatty voice going, now that Benny could hear it closer.

"It's decent." Boone, whose voice sounded like it almost always did. A page flipped.

"Got lots of interesting facts in it. Lots of books do, but that one I've got dogeared. Tons of neat words in there."

"I noticed."

"Lots of hard to pronounce words too though. I mean, it ain't like I don't have a pretty decent vocabulary, but it gets confusing when you've only ever seen a word in print, never heard it with your own ears."

"It does."

"I'm probably just bothering you though, sorry."

Benny could practically hear the hand-wringing in that sentence.

"No. You're not." More push than Benny was used to hearing.

"Are you sure? I probably shouldn't interrupt anyway. Pretty rude. It's just, Lily said it's 15 'til everyone should be at the table, and you know how she gets if people aren't on time."

"I've not been late yet." Another page flip, though not nearly as loud as before.

"I hope you don't mind, but I marked a buncha words in there. Arcade says, well, he says that marking half the words doesn't make it easier to remember, but it helps me sort through things. I could probably find an unmarked version of it sometime though, if you like it."

"It helps."

"Oh, helps you too, huh? Well, hey, good! Good. What do you do when you don't know how to pronounce a thing?"

"I don't say it."

"Well, that would do it. I guess I just try it anyway, toss that word up and see if it sticks. Sometimes it doesn't though. Said uh, ha, said a word in there the other day, but I went and twisted it all up. Sometimes I'll do it on purpose, really play up what some people think of me, but not the other day, no."

"What word?"

"... Ono...mada... poe-ah? That word for when you make up a word about a sound."

"Mmm. Onomatopoeia."

"Well see, you went and said it first try. Even havin' Arcade correct me, I just couldn't wrap my head about that one."

"I can't say cinma..." Clear frustration forced its way out in a single huff.

"Cinnamon?"

"Yeah."

"What if you go real slow like?"

Boone sighed. The thick book shut, though not forcefully, but with a quiet whumph. "Cinnamon."

"I used to not be able to talk, until way later than they expected. They used to joke if I didn't talk by five, it was up the chute. No freeloaders in our Vault, no sir. I don't know if it was that, or just I decided I wanted to talk, but I started one day and I just never stopped. Even if I wanted to. Boy, some days I want to."

"I had a speech impediment."

"Yeah? Really?"

A grunt.

"Well, I guess that makes sense. Hope people weren't too awful about that. Kids can get... well, just not terribly nice about things. Never realized it was something people got like about accents too, until I was finally gone and heard everyone else talking."

"I think you talk fine."

"Well, that makes at least two. Shame people look at me, with my accent, and make all sortsa erroneous conclusions. But I guess shame they do that about you, too."

Another grunt.

"But it can work out. Their ignorance can be our strength, right?"

A wry laugh. "Right. It's worked for me on more than one occasion. You blend in. Become a ghost."

"Or make them think you're happy as a clown. Who's gonna say no?"

"Exactly." Boots on the ground with a heavy thud, and then a sigh.

Benny stepped back into the bathroom, nearly shut the door, then opened the bathroom door, hands still a bit wet, and headed into the hallway.

"Heya Benny! Glad to see you came."

"Yep, brought Swank too, since you keep layering it on thick that you want him coming around."

"Aw, well I like him. And his company! A full house, but not crowded, that's a happy one. Makes being inside actually bearable. Some days, I just feel like going up onto the roof and sleeping under the stars. Too many walls..." Lee seemed to pull into himself, then snap like a rubber band. "But I like it here, oh yes I do. It's a far cry better than some places."

"It sure is, baby." He wrapped an arm about their waist, pulled them in tight, but not too tight. Lee got a bit dodgy when he'd just talked like he had.

Boone caught his eyes, not wearing sunglasses for once.

Benny nodded.

Boone nodded back.

\---~~~---

"Mema?"

"Yes, Pumpkin?"

"Did being in a Vault all those years ever scare you?"

"Oh, honey, I don't like to talk about unpleasant things like that."

"I know. I don't either. But lately, everything's coming outta me like pus. Nothing's making me feel better."

"Does my little boy need a hug?"

"Yeah."

Benny could only assume Lee and Lily hugged there, with the grunt of exertion from Lee, and the loud sighs of happiness from Lily.

"My big boy sure has grown. Though you've got a few growth spurts left in you if you want to reach your grandpa's height, oh yes you do."

"Oh, Mema, I don't think that's gonna happen, but I wouldn't say no to it."

"You just have to eat your vegetables!"

"Think so?"

"Yes. And these cookies. Grandma made them with love."

"I love you, Mema. I missed you so much. So, so much. I'm so glad..."

"Oh, honey. Come here. You need another hug."

"I missed seeing you, so, so much. You don't even..."

"Pumpkin, it's ok. I'm here. Don't cry."

But it was too late.

Benny couldn't bear to see Lee sobbing, not again. He could count the times it had happened, and he didn't want to add another to the list. But he ached, and wanted to go into the sweet-smelling kitchen, and join in on the hug.

Was he welcome to it?

Lee sniffed, hard and long, then said, "I love you. I'm always gonna love you, no matter what happens."

"And I love you, Jimmy."

"Yeah, I know. Now, let's roll up our sleeves and get these cookies cut out, or how are we gonna put all that pretty sugar on 'em?" It was that false sort of cheery that broke Benny's heart.

"That's the spirit! No more tears, just cookies. That's. That's what it was like in the Vault."

"Yeah, I remember."

Benny went to the bathroom and washed his own face off. Locked the door, even, and took a shower.

\---~~~---

He'd been wary of walking into silent hallways for a while, but this time he seemed well and truly alone. Benny stepped towards the kitchen, peeked around the corner, and found no one. A check in the rec room gave him the same results.

Benny almost left, figured if they were in any of the other rooms, he wasn't about to pull a peeping Tom again, since Cass and Veronica hadn't let him live down his accidental impropriety. Somehow, when he'd said that if he'd been looking on purpose they wouldn't have minded, that got everyone mad, including Lee.

He felt a pull though, and headed over to the master bedroom. He pressed his head against the door, caught some muffled words.

"I wonder if, if I listened enough, you could talk."

Beeps sounded as happy little chirps from Ed-E.

"Probably not, right? You're just a courier like me, and somehow you got all pulled into things you don't really understand. Don't get me wrong, I think you're smarter than others say, but... This world is bigger than I imagined. I was so happy to be free of the Vault, after all that sad for a bit, that I never wanted to walk indoors again. Now, I'm scared of everything out there. Of everyone. If not for my sake, for theirs."

More beeps, though maybe it was in Benny's head, they seemed almost pensive in nature. They had different tones than the regular ones.

"I wish I could fly like you. I know you don't go too high, but I bet you could. You could fly away from everything, and just go figure out what's what, wherever you like. You could probably go to a fancy place, like one of those Hawaiian islands I used to read all about. I always wanted to live there. Sun, sand, ocean. Ocean was the big part. Being landlocked is awful."

Ed-E listened, as much as a robot could when not instructed to do otherwise.

"You can keep a secret, right? You won't commit it to a holotape, tell everyone?"

Affirmative beeps, if Benny ever heard them. And he had, plenty of times when he'd come over.

Benny liked Ed-E.

Ed-E didn't seem to mind him either. The only time she'd even remotely seemed upset with him (and it was more Lee who was upset, obviously) was when he'd asked to access her inventory, and he'd given her 10 caps and said to go spend some time with FISTO.

Arcade had enjoyed that little joke. He was the only one who laughed.

Lee got quiet, far too quiet for Benny to hear, though he struggled and strained close enough to the door, without pressing hard against it. It left him up against the wall, right along the door frame. Though Lee and his friends had cleaned the place from top to bottom, 'spring cleaning' as Lee called it despite being summer, this area had been neglected. A bit of dust got up into his nose and he pinched the bridge.

"... I don't know what to do. I don't wanna be an autocrat, like House and Caesar bragged. And God only knows, Boards that tell people what to do, but don't give anyone a voice, they're not for me either. Benny says, it could all be in the palm of my hands but... everything I touch crumbles. A kid ran away from me the other day, when I just wanted to ask where he got his neat toy."

Benny sneezed. Even with fingers on the nostrils, it came out, a hoarse cross between a cough and a sneeze. He didn't have time to pull away, pretend to knock, or any number of tricks, before the door was flung open.

Lee looked at him with a smile, as though he didn't have red-rimmed eyes. "Oh, heya honey. Good timing. Everyone's out at the Wrangler, so we could play a little, if you wanna."

He wanted to talk, really. But with a sultry look and a tug on Benny's tie, Benny wasn't about to say no. He stepped over the threshold and Ed-E floated on past his head with a chirpy little goodbye beep.

Even after, in the soft glow of bodies pressed to bodies, content, he wanted to say something.

By the time he got the nerve to open his mouth, Lee already snored with quiet little sniffs, burrowed under the blankets, and clung tight to Benny's chest. Lee's soft cheek used one of Benny's pecs as a pillow. Beeny did nothing more than wrap his arms about Lee and pull him closer.

"I've got you, baby."

Even if he didn't know where anything was going anymore either.

\---~~~---

Everyone was in the rec room, except for Lee. Benny even looked about a bit more carefully, but no. No Lee.

Arcade looked up from a shot and held the pool cue straight by his hip. "I'd ask who you're looking for, but I already--"

"Of course you do. And I don't care what you think about it." He had no time for Arcade's nonsense. He had a date to ask Lee on. A real, proper one. Swank had convinced him of it, and it was about time they did it anyway. People were talking, and they might as well talk about how great of a boyfriend Benny was to Lee.

"Oooh, someone's finally got bite." Arcade seemed impressed.

"So, any idea where he is?" He played it casual, put his hands in his pockets and strolled forward. He eyed their game, noted Arcade was probably losing.

"Laundry day." Boone aimed his own shot, then one, two, three balls managed to get into the pockets. A fourth one rolled about, but it didn't do much more than that. Boone nodded.

"He's doing it or?"

"Yeah, he drew the short straw, so it's his turn. He's got shit luck when it comes to chore straws." Cass chugged half a bottle of water, then slapped it down onto the floor next to her and shrugged. An empty glass lay beside the both. She kicked back in the chair and eyed Benny. "What's it to you anyway? Come here to kiss his ass a bit more?"

"Language!" But Lily didn't seem particularly worried from her spot in the corner, knitting something gaudily colorful with her massive clicking needles.

Benny had words, oh fuck did he have words for Cass. But he was on a time crunch. "So, where's this laundry done at?"

"Oh, he hangs them on the roof. We actually have like, fourteen working dryers in the whole building, but Lee refuses to use them. Something about 'conserving electricity'." Veronica shrugged. "I don't mind, I just wish he wouldn't do that with my dresses. They get really stiff up there."

Benny turned, even as the others around him kept on talking.

"Yes, the girl who came here in a burlap bag, she hates stiff clothing. Everything makes sense now." Raul's voice ground out.

Benny was at the elevator by the time Raul finished, just barely out of range to hear them, unfortunately. Soon enough, he went further than he ever had. Straight to the roof.

Two lines of billowing clothes, ranging from Boone's white tees, to Veronica's unhealthy collection of so many dresses, to Arcade's second lab coat, and more. Everyone's things were present and accounted for, but not Lee's. There was no green checked shirt. There was no blue and pink gingham Lee had picked out and strut out in the Aces Theater for a whole night in. Benny didn't see the one he'd first seen Lee wearing, when fire danced behind and Lee killed Legion in front, and later in Boulder City.

"Benny." Lee's words were swallowed partially by the wind.

From up so high, higher than Benny had ever been, it was another feeling entirely than being on the ground.

Benny stepped forward, then realized Lee stood still, right there along the edge of the roof. One step and... "Hey, baby. Watch yourself, a fall like that'd do even you in."

"It wouldn't."

"No?"

"It's not the fall that kills. It's the landing." But Lee stepped back. He turned about and looked up at Benny with eyes that spoke volumes when that soft voice seemed unable to say another word.

Benny stepped closer, pulled him into a tight hug. "H-how come there's none of your things here?"

"Oh. Well, I got shafted again on laundry duty. I think Raul cheats. So I always just do mine first and then let everyone else wait all day."

Benny laughed against Lee's hair, stroked a hand up into it and enjoyed the way that scalp felt. "Good."

"What brings you on up here? The view?"

"That, and I wanted to ask you on a date." Palms pressed tight to Lee's back, rubbed soothing little shapes into it.

"Like, on a date, date? A real one and everything?" Such a simple thing, but Lee's entire body seemed to fill with excitement, like blowing up an old balloon.

"You got it. Anywhere you want, anything you want."

"I wanna go swimmin'. I never went before. I've always been too busy, or it was too irradiated, or I was stuck in a Vault. I just wanna go swimmin'."

"Then we'll go."

Lee did not swim very well. But that didn't keep him from having a grand time splashing about in the shallow end of things. It didn't stop Benny from being right there with him.

After, in the sauna, Benny finally talked to him. And Lee just poured on and poured it all out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hoo boy, writing as someone who got made fun of for their accent, who thinks about things way too deep, who has a Mema, and who imbibes a bit too fucking much too often, writing this was difficult. That's the point though, I guess. Write what you know.


	21. Hoover Dam

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lee doesn't like politics. Politics doesn't like him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is it, folks.

Lee pulled out the holotape recorder, with several unused tapes just beside it. He smiled amenably to the General and Ambassador. He pressed the play button. "Now, let the first mm, uh... The first treaty session between the NCR and an Independent-of-Mr.-House New Vegas commence. I'm Lee Johnson, and we've got quite the assortment of people here, willing to discuss things to sort out just how exactly we're all going to go forward from here."

Both NCR officials looked to him with stern expressions, grooved with distrust and discontent, from foreheads, to around the eyes, to the stern set of the lips.

At least the Ambassador tried to hide it with a tight forced smile.

Benny wished he'd brought his cigarettes. A quick glance at Cass confirmed she wished about the same, but with her moonshine. Lee had put a strict ban down in the proceedings for all weaponry bigger than a utility knife, and all 'drug paraphernalia' as he'd put it. No alcohol, no chems (except doctor prescribed ones), and no smokes. Benny had, at the last minute, attempted to get Arcade to write him a prescription for at least a few cigarettes, but he hadn't come close. No cigars, either.

The Ambassador nodded, "Well, with that bit out of the way, what do you say we all take a seat and discuss how the NCR can stick around these parts longer?"

Lee nodded, "Absolutely! Go on, have a seat everyone. And, to be clear, as far as I'm concerned, NCR can stick around. That was never the issue at hand."

"Don't lie to him. I know exactly what you said to me. You can smile and do your little dance, but I know exactly what you are."

"And what, pray tell, am I?"

"A fucking disgrace. You might fight good, Hell, I won't lie. Better than men I've seen twice your size. I watched you take down the Legate, and he fell like Goliath. But that doesn't make you a David."

"Well, no, but my dad was a David." Lee laughed, but there was a glint of machete steel in those eyes, and an edge to his voice. "If you'd like to elaborate what you're referring to, well, I don't think I'd stop you. But if not, we should continue."

"Oh, I'd like to elaborate. Not that it would do a bit of fucking good. You want to steal the NCR's territory, you're not any better than the Legion."

Lee stood. Palms pressed to the table, he tilted his head just a touch downward and looked the General in the eyes. "Sir, I would ask you kindly that you not bring yourself down to verbal attacks. If you have something to back up your claim, do so. If you don't, well, Mama always said, put up, or shut up."

"I know which I'd prefer..." Cass rapped a few fingers against the table, leaned far into one side of her chair.

"Incredible. A bunch of alcoholic losers come to the table, expecting to keep New Vegas for long. Look at her, she's got the shakes. It's been, what? Ten minutes since she last sucked a bottle's tit?" The General, wearing his finest dress uniform, stood as well. "You've got alcoholic failed caravaneers, terrorists turned to doctors not fit to patch my shaving cuts, freak ghouls and mutants, and casino bosses fucking you on the side. And we're supposed to be scared?"

A flurry of motion and Benny's eyes couldn't take it all in, especially above his own outrage. A cacophony of voices, all attempting to be heard, while drowning everything else out. Everyone wanted to speak for another, to speak for themselves. He wanted to speak for Lee, even though Lee was right there, fully capable of it.

Lee, not tall by any means, raised himself up an inch or so onto his toes and raised one arm up high.

People slowed their speech and corked it a moment later.

It wasn't that they never interrupted Lee--they did, often, and he'd gotten much better at rolling with it when people did-- it was that, if there was one person in the room the two NCR bigshots were nervous around, it was him. He carried by far more on reputation than by being frightening to listen to.

Lee smiled. "When you're ready to be respectful to my companions, you're both welcome to return, bring whoever you feel you need to even, in order to present your side of things. But you will not now, nor will you ever, be allowed to speak to my friends like that while I'm around. Thought you woulda figured that out when I told you to skedaddle before, General. Would you like me or one of the many hundreds of securitrons serving as New Vegas' protectors to walk you out?"

The Ambassador stood, though oddly he was one of the last to do so. "Johnson--"

"Lee. Don't call me Johnson. That's just a formality so people know just which Lee exactly is talking into the holotape when people hear these. Though I'll be honest, once you've heard me talk, it ain't all that difficult picking apart which one is saying what." His normally warm, friendly eyes were ringed with that steely glint Benny never liked being on the receiving end of. He'd almost prefer a raised machete, at those times.

The General, he stood more upright, stiff and uncaring. "I'll see myself out. But be warned. The NCR always gets what it wants. Our claw reaches far. No one has ever been able to say no to us."

"Well, that's nice, I appreciate you handing off a warning like that. If you stop on by tomorrow, why, we might be able to get past the introductions and into the proceedings, but that entirely depends on you two."

Soon, the intruders left. Soon, everyone was left in the penthouse alone with Lee. He sighed and slumped forward. One hand flopped about blindly for the holotape recorder, and he turned it off a moment later with a definitive ending beep. "I hate politics. This is going to be taped up forever, isn't it? We'll be in meetings until I'm gray-haired."

"You were too nice." Benny wanted a cigarette, again, but he had a feeling Lee still wouldn't want him lighting up. Not with how nice and white the walls were, and with how clean Lee had gotten it all smelling up in the penthouse.

"I'll fuckin' say. If it were me, I'd say fuck the NCR, kick them in the teeth and toss them out the door."

Boone grunted. "The NCR itself isn't the problem. It's politicians like Crocker, and, well. Oliver's called 'General Wait and See' for a reason. It's no surprise he entered the camp right as we killed the Legate."

Arcade stood. "Well, I think you're all missing the point."

Eyes on Arcade, and by now Benny thought he could almost read that expression, taut as it was.

"I wouldn't fix up his shaving cuts, even if he asked." Arcade sat down and folded his hands over his lap.

Lee laughed into Benny's shoulder, let all the stress of the last week out, though it would bounce right back in soon enough, like the world's most frustrating game of fetch. "Well, good. He can just bleed."

"Well, good." Benny stroked through Lee's hair, lightly shifted it from being sweat-pasted to Lee's scalp. 

"I think it's about time we had lunch then." Lee pulled from Benny, clapped his hands together with more energy than his face said he had, and looked around. "What do y'all think about getting a nice lunch? I'm sure Lily'd be pleased as anything to see us down so soon. Though, maybe let's not tell her what they said. I'd rather not have to repair anymore 'Leo' damage."

"Not that I'm saying no to food, boss, but maybe we should plan for the next time they show up to 'negotiate'? I'm no politician, but I don't think they'll just walk away from this without putting up more of a fight."

"Oh, I know. Which is why, they had their chance, and now I'm doing things a bit more underhanded."

"Ooooh, do tell! I wanna be involved." Veronica took sashaying steps forward, and her dress swished with every motion. She brushed right by Cass.

"So do I." Cass' voice was lower though, and she followed Veronica with her eyes and didn't focus on the rest of them.

"Oh, don't worry. Everyone's gonna be involved. I'll give them one more chance, and then I've got missions for everyone. If that is, you all wanna be involved."

"I'll kick your ass again if you question if we wanna do shit. Of course we do. Why the fuck wouldn't we?" Cass glanced to the elevator though, wistful. "I wouldn't mind a drink now, though."

"Maybe one of Lily's cookies too." Veronica continued Cass' barely spoken train of thought, much more upbeat about it. "Oh, and some brahmin milk. I got a great deal on it today. A whole four caps less than usual." She stepped backwards through the elevator doors and motioned everyone forward with a curl of her finger.

"Mmm, a deal like that, I wonder if it's gone off like my skin," Raul muttered that part and stepped into the elevator. He ducked with a chuckle when Veronica lightly went to tap at his head.

It was all smiles around, and they piled into the elevator and made their way to the main suite.

\---~~~---

No one smiled.

King raised a single brow at the NCR men before him. "We were willing to make a deal before, but only because of Lil' Lee here. You've got a helluva lotta nerve marching your soldier selves in here and acting like you're in charge."

"Maybe he shouldn't have. Time was, we'd put down dogs that bit." The General all but spat the words.

Crocker spoke up, too quick for the King to recover first. "Now, hold on, hold on. I understand there's a lot of bad blood here, but we're here for everyone's good. You might not believe it, but hand to my heart, we just want the NCR and New Vegas to be on good terms."

"We want this area to be NCR. Good terms can come after. My men didn't fight and die so you could all stand in your towers, pacing and doing fuck all." The General, his eyes narrowed in on each and every one of them. "You're not fit to lead. You don't know what leadership means."

"Who the fuck are you to say what leadership is? Didn't you suck Kimball's dick to get where you are?" Cass' ever-present brand of commentary filled the room like the boom of a firecracker.

"What did you just say?" The General's eyes honed in on Cass' slouched form, even as Pacer and the King smirked at him.

Boone sucked in air. Fingers in the right hand spread enough for Benny to recognize the needy gesture.

Benny had smelled smoke on Boone before, more than once, but not often enough to leave the sort of 'trail' Swank might mention. Boone seemed twitchy like Benny did. If Benny had smokes on him, if Lee hadn't confiscated them in a last second pat-down posed as a hug and grope, Benny might be inclined to roll the guy one while Lee tore into the General.

"You're probably right, General Oliver." Lee had a smile that said he harbored less than pleasant feelings in his heart for this man, but he'd change the subject away from Cass.

"If you can admit it in front of everyone then what are you even doing here? Sign the paper." He pushed the thick parchment forward and tapped impatiently at a long line at the bottom. "If Crocker here can't convince you, for all his stammering and politics, at least listen to me."

"No, thank you. Like you said, I'm probably not smart enough to even read. And gosh, wouldn't want to sign something as important as the freedom of thousands upon thousands of innocent people just because some nice gentlemen in suits wanted it."

Lee Oliver's face burned red, a stark contrast to the almost pale skin. "You're making a mistake, you over--"

"General Oliver?" Boone's low rolling voice smoothed past the General's edge.

"What?" For the first time in the day, the General looked at someone with respect. That was something even Crocker didn't get. Probably it was the beret, and not where Boone sat at the table, that got that look in General Lee Oliver's eyes.

"I actually believe in the NCR. Maybe not everything that's done, but enough of it to see the point in what you're saying." He didn't stand, he just kept himself soldier-straightbacked, eyes focused just below the General's own. "But I've seen enough to know that the people around here, they want independence. They won’t go quietly, you can count on that."

"People shouldn't always get what they want. I can fucking guarantee Caesar didn't want his head chopped off, but that didn't stop it from rolling off the high hill he sat on."

"And who do you think was the one to make it roll?" Boone smiled the kind of smile only Boone could pull off.

Lee tapped his hand on that table, right beside the pile of folders he'd had since the start. He stood. "General, as I understand it you are a very busy man. Ambassador Crocker, you are too. Far be it from me to waste the time of men such as yourself. "

Any nervousness pulled away once Lee spoke again. The General sneered. "We've been here for years, holding out and waiting for the forces we needed to take on the Legion, and you just walk in, some absolute nobody courier, and expect to take New Vegas? Just because you have a band of merry fucking men with you, doesn't make you the good guys. Not if you use threats like you did."

Lee sighed. "I don't much care for good or bad. I care--"

"That's clear you don't. You're a murderer."

Crocker finally stood himself, tugged at his collar, and said, "Please, let's all just calm down now. There's no need to turn the topic away from the task, is there?"

"Actually, Ambassador, there is. I'm sorry, but I just don't think we can come to an agreement right now, why don't we give it a week? You get whatever you need to out of your system, and we can start again. Same time, same day, next week. Is that amenable?"

"It'll be over my cold body that you take this place from us."

"House and Caesar had similar statements for me. I didn't let them say 'em full though. I don't suffer tyranny so well anymore, go figure." Lee began to hand out the folders to everyone, sans the NCR representatives, and then he moved to the elevator. "Y'all are welcome to continue this meeting by yourselves if you want, but just be warned, Yes Man will tell you no if you try a thing. He's not nearly as amiable to you two as I am, after his upgrade."

Crocker turned towards the massive face that kept flickering and smiling at them and nodded. "General, perhaps we'd better just go. A week, that isn't so much time." His gaze moved back to Lee, and narrowed just enough to make Benny tense up, "I'm sure we can think of something to do in the meantime."

"I'm sure we can."

Lee let them go down the elevator first. He insisted, even. When it finally returned, he stepped in with everyone else, smiling as cheerful as could be.

Raul flipped through his folder, then chuckled to himself. "Boss."

"Yeah, Raul?"

"Remind me not to become a despot. I wouldn't want to get on your bad side."

"Oh, Raul. It's easy not to get on my bad side. Just don't be a dick."

"And yet somehow, Benny's on your good side." Arcade eyed Benny.

The comment was mostly a good-natured jab at this point. Benny good-naturedly jabbed his elbow into Arcade's ribs, hard. Then he pulled him into a side hug, with Lee caught up in the other side's hug.

Arcade ducked away from it, but not with his prior disgust for when Benny would come too close to him. He brushed his coat with a few strokes and kept his face forward. "I suppose it's back on the road then."

"You say that like it's a bad thing." Cass tapped her boot on the ground, as though to make the cables bring them to the suite sooner. "I've been stir-crazy in that floral nightmare of a room we've got."

"Hey, you said you liked the flowers." Lee pouted, though a grin threatened to peek out, crinkled and hidden as it was at the edges of his eyes.

"No, I said, I don't mind floral prints, and I was talking about Veronica's dresses. I didn't say 'Hey, Lee, surprise us all by painting the rooms with a bunch of pink bullshit flowers.'"

"Oh, don't listen to her, pumpkin. I love those flowers. They remind me of your mother."

Lee stilled, then nodded. "That's what they remind me of, too. Besides, those other rooms are almost fully renovated, then you can just sleep wherever you like and decorate it however."

Cass muttered something, but mostly into Veronica's ear at this point. And, to be honest, it seemed a bit less on topic, than something to make Veronica blush a soft shade of pink.

Lee tilted his head to the side and way back, looked at Benny with a mischievous twinkle in, and a slight crinkle around, his light eyes. "I think that went well."

"I think next time I should take the reins on things, baby. He's gonna walk all over you, and even when you're being mean, it's not enough. You gotta be rough."

"Aw, give him a break, Benny." King glanced over, "He's a teddy bear."

"With sharp claws." Pacer crossed his arms and stared ahead. "If you ask me, you don't pick sides right. You stopped us from fighting those punks, and now you call us in and ask us to come talk it out with them? I'm not a hugbot."

"Well, actually Pacer, I only asked King to come. Not that you're not welcome, but." Lee let it sit, a single hanging sentence before the doors finally opened onto the bottom floor. "Well, we've all got busy days ahead of us, I'll see y'all around." Lee stepped out first, with Benny right beside.

It was funny. All those years he was right there under House, feeling like a doormat. Here, he didn't have to be central to things, and he still felt every bit as important as anyone else. Benny nodded. He had work to do too.

This time next week, NCR would be sorry they tried working this angle. Benny and the rest would make sure of it.

\---~~~---

Lee gazed ahead, eyes focused too far in the distance for him to really be seeing much of anything at all.

"Cap for your thoughts?" It was supposed to make Lee smile like it usually did Benny.

Supposed to didn't always work, so he tried again with a gentle rub on Lee's back.

Lee blinked, and life seemed to rush right back into those eyes. Lee nuzzled against him. "What'd you say, honey?"

"Cap for your thoughts?"

"Oh, you don't have to pay me, just take them."

"Can't take them if you don't tell them."

"I wish you could though. Just, dig 'em out, and bury 'em deep."

"That bad?"

"Never saw that many people dead before. Never wanted to."

"We don't have to talk about it." He'd learned a thing or many about Lee. Don't push, and eventually Lee would spill it all out anyway, he'd topple all on his own.

Sure enough, Benny was right.

\---~~~---

Arcade stood taller than usual to Lee's right, ensconced as he was in the Enclave armor. To the left, Boone wore his First Recon beret with pride and fire burned in rich eyes behind those tinted lenses. Further, Veronica wore power armor, a final reminder of the place she used to call home. Raul wore his faded vaquero outfit and a small smile over his ancient lips. Lily, she breathed harder than usual and wore the yellow floral pin Lee had given her, right there attached to her sunhat. Cass wore leather armor, though she'd complained for the full twenty minutes it had taken to put it on her, or so Veronica had said. Rex growled low, apparently not enjoying the smells or sounds or any number of things that he could perceive. Ed-E, well, Ed-E beeped, and hummed, and buzzed so quietly behind Lee, and it provided a sense of comfort, of sameness, that nothing else really could.

In stories, days like this were supposed to be overcast. Thunder would roll, lightning would strike, and it all was meant to be very symbolic, oppressive, and as difficult to read as it was to exist in.

Birds sang nearby, as though they didn't understand the offense their actions brought.

Lee stepped towards Yes Man. "Should we head in then?"

"We sure should! And I'll be right there with you, all the way!"

"Great. Thanks, Yes Man." He felt apprehension do its rounds in his stomach, little flips and flops that made him grateful he hadn't eaten like Arcade had insisted. Like everyone had insisted. He nodded and stomped forward in the armor he hadn't exactly wanted to wear, but Veronica had insisted. It was important to be protected. If there was one thing the Brotherhood could be useful for now, it was keeping her and hers safe in their armor, so she'd said.

Lee felt his feet crunch heavy against the rocks, kick up little clouds of dust. Each step, he grew equal parts more and less certain of how exactly he was going to accomplish this all. Having them with him would help, but he'd panic, he knew that already. He'd panic if they were hurt. He'd rage if worse happened.

But they wouldn't stand down, no matter how hard he tried to convince them. So, there they all were. And up the path to the dam they went.

NCR seemed to think it was all for their benefit that Lee and the rest took out Legion. He felt bile, at how he used that against them. He didn't hate NCR, he just didn't think it belonged. People too high up, untouched by the hardships of the Mojave, who thought they knew better.

Philosophy wasn't something Lee had time for though, none of his normal thoughts could stick for long. He focused on the mission.

Arcade and Boone distracted the guards, Veronica and Cass took out a few Legion that had gotten inside the control area, and Lily, Raul, Ed-E, and Rex all followed through to the eastern gate.

Yes Man, he talked like it was all so simple, but he always did. Lee didn't know if he liked that, but he accepted it.

"Soooooo... we can blow up the dam's generators," and even with that forever smile, Yes Man clearly preferred the second option before it even came out, "Or! I could route the dam's entire power output to the fort for the time being! We'll activate a certain army of securitrons and let them destroy the camp above! It'll be raining Legion!"

He blinked. No one had any right to be this damn happy about killing, even if it was Legion. But then, he'd already killed 7 and the battle had barely begun. Lee nodded.

"That silence is a yes, right? There aren't any cameras hooked up to this room, so I can't exactly see you. Of course, if you're having second thoughts--"

"It's a ‘can you set the securitrons to not aim at slaves?’"

"Why, of course, I can! Even though projections from Mr. House's database show that former slaves of the Legion who've been with them for more than a year are 89% likely to remain loyal, or at least afraid of, Caesar and his cronies. If you think that's a life worth living, then absolutely!"

"Mr. House's projections don't mean jack squat. He sure as hell didn't project himself dying to me. Set them to not attack the slaves, unless that slave in particular attempts to attack a securitron. Don't just kill everyone, understand?"

"I sure do. And wow, can I just say, it is really admirable that you'd want to protect people like that, when most people in your situation would just, well, kill them. That's war, you know? But not you--"

"Look, my friends could be dying. Let's cut the crap. Is that all you need to know from me?"

"It sure is! Now all that's left is for you to go and destroy Caesar and his Legate Lanius. I'm sure, given your outstanding reputation at destroying things so well, you'll have no trouble!"

The thing was, he was fairly certain Yes Man meant it as nice as a robot possibly could. This wasn't a human talking, nor was it Ed-E and her beeps. This was.

Not worth thinking about so he turned and left and found himself grateful when it turned out everyone was ok, waiting for him at the end of the dam's power grid. Ready for him to do something he had no right to.

To lead.

\---~~~---

"You know, I bet Emily could reprogram him again."

"Maybe. He's a bit better now, I think. No more of that fake nice."

"That's almost funny, coming from you." Benny offered a water over, but Lee waved it away.

"I know. God, do I know. It was unnerving though. It was like, you almost wondered if he was going to just break from the AI any minute, and start calling the shots himself."

"He was designed not to. He really can't, baby. It's ok."

"I don't know, Benny. I don't know. I don't really like it."

"You never seemed bothered about him before."

"Yeah? Never came up." Lee pushed up from against the rock, and headed on down the lane, towards Boulder City. "Memories, coming back here. Kinda... kinda good ones, in the weirdest way. There's a circular sort of satisfaction to it."

"You mean, getting drunk, groping, telling stories, and you pulling a weapon on me?"

"Well, in my defense, you were almost definitely planning on killing me. And seeing as how I'm pretty terrible at not killing when I get the notion to, you really got off lucky."

"I'll say."

Lee nudged him a bit with his elbow. "Hush you. Makin' me blush."

Benny chuckled, and stepped even closer, into the push. "Good. The only thing that suits that face better than those freckles, is a bit of pink. Yep, that's right. Perfect. I could take a picture of that."

Lee turned his face away, brighter than it was even a few seconds before. "Now you're just being mean. Here I am, trying to be serious and convince people to come visit, and you're trying to get me all riled up."

"It's working though." Benny winked.

Lee laughed and shook his head. "No, no, it isn't. You're being corny."

"Baby, I'm wounded!" He slapped his hand to his chest, "and here, I thought you knew all us Chairmen were the coolest of the cool. Baby, you need to re-examine those hinky opinions of yours."

"Yeah, whatever you say, Benny." Lee pushed open the door to Ike's bar. "Heya, Ike, how's business?"

"Oh! It's you, and your friend. It's great seeing you both again. And business is booming, though maybe you can't tell right now. Most of the workers are in the quarry. But if you stick around until nightfall, they'll come back in droves. Oh, I haven't had so many customers in ages." He was all smiles, a contrast to how he'd been when Benny had first met him.

Lee was all smiles too, but here Benny understood that look so much better. Here, he saw a mask. A face with no more depth than Yes Man's, at least right then. "Well, that's just great. Hey, you mind if we stick around a bit, and wait for some of them to pop in?"

"Sure thing. Two whiskeys again? Doubles, maybe?"

Lee put that hand up, real fast. "No, sir, I'd like a bottle of water if you've got it though."

Moderation hadn't worked out so well for Lee. It was one, or the other. But water worked, and Benny signaled for one too. He didn't always drink water in solidarity, but he would here. 

Alone in the corner table, Lee had that same look. That distant, sightless appearance.

"If I have to pay a cap to hear your thoughts each time, I have a feeling I won't have any left soon. And baby, you and me both know I'm not exactly scraping by."

Lee didn't smile, but something akin to one pulled tight over his chapped lips.

\---~~~---

Lily took several bullets, but she kept going. Get behind Gramma. Gramma's got her babies. Don't worry, everything's fine.

Boone caught one in the arm, and Lee noticed before Boone seemed to react.

Veronica caught many, with Legionaries aiming at her armor, just like they did Lee's, just like they did Arcade's. It was like seeing power armor, Enclave armor, whatever, it was a challenge. Even if most of the bullets didn't cut through, some did. That was enough.

Rex kept going, good boy, such a good boy. Sold by Legion, he killed Legion. Lee found himself encouraging Rex, even when words probably didn't meet Rex's ears. Lee heard them, and it comforted someone, at least.

Ed-E fired, and fired, and fired, and more than a few Legion men fell screaming to their knees or collapsed into a burning ash pile that kicked up a wretched smell Lee wouldn't soon evacuate from his brain.

Etched into the memory, was Cass' face when she caught one in the chest, armor be damned. Etched into memory when Arcade dragged her away and administered to her, while Veronica kept up with punch after punch with that ballistic fist.

He preferred it when she wore the dresses. Truth be told, so did she. But she punched well. Damn well.

Lee slashed through body after body, and he had to think of it that way, didn't he? To think a person was attached, with hopes and dreams and their own set of baggage they were or were not trying to navigate before death, that was too much.

Philosophy had no place on the battlefield, but it sure had a way of digging into his thoughts in blips and beeps, like Ed-E's call in between laser blasts.

Lee couldn't blink, yet a moment passed and he was in the thick of the camp, face to face with someone clad in a more golden toned metal than his own steely armor.

\---~~~---

Lee clutched the table, glared up at Ike when he stopped things with two bottles of fresh water. A moment passed, and Lee returned. "Aw, thanks. You just keep the change." Ten caps and Benny matched that price for his own.

Ike beamed at them both, tipped his head, and ambled right back behind his bar, where he had previously seemed to eternally, and somewhat suspiciously, clean the same spot on the counter the entire time Lee talked.

Benny scooted his chair closer, reached a hand out to stroke Lee's own limp one. "I'm here."

"I know. I'm glad you weren't there. It was horrible. War is horrible."

"That seems to be a bit of an understatement, but I'm not arguing from this end of the table. Bright side? None of your friends died. It's not a happy day or anything, after all that, but you made it, right?" Wrong, and the moment he said it, though he couldn't figure why, he knew Lee was shut down for the time being.

He sipped his water quiet, contemplative.

Lee turned right around into his sweet self the moment the dinner rush walked their way in and settled into eating and drinking the cares of the day away. Just like that, he went up to the bunch of them and introduced himself. Simple as could be, he laughed and joked and charmed, and convinced three of the dozen or so that they were some of his best damn friends he'd ever had.

Lee probably even meant it. Benny didn't really know anymore, when it was a line, and when it was real. But he stood and joined in on the fun, and soon he was pretty sure he was their best friend too.

It beat sitting alone, waiting for things to happen, after years of working hard to make them go.

\---~~~---

The General and Ambassador were early. They had been each day, so Lee wasn't surprised, and neither was Benny.

Across from one another at the long table, dark and wooden as a strong contrast to the sterile white elsewhere in the penthouse, Lee smiled at them even as they glowered.

"I see you've left your friends behind. Good, perhaps we can get a reasonable treaty worked out today." Crocker was the first one to talk, and he actually seemed to loosen up a bit when Lee nodded and offered a sincere smile.

"I think today will be the day someone signs something. In fact, I took the liberty of helping write something up."

"Another one of your worthless papers? It's not fit to wipe with." Ah, and the General was back to his usual self. Whatever happened between them at the dam, Lee wasn't budging about it, and they seemed to have held the same stalemate since then.

Lee kept an impassive look on his face, minus the smile which had turned down just enough to barely be noticeable. "Oh, this isn't the paper I gave you before. No, it sure isn't. Actually, this is a document a whole buncha us all got together and wrote up."

"Your friends who can't even show up, they helped you write something? I hope you didn't strain yourself too hard."

"Cute. Real cute. Actually, it wasn't just people you've met, I don't think. In fact, I think I hear them coming up now. See, my friends can't all fit into one elevator, you understand. So, they'll be coming in bunches, and letting you know just why they saw fit to write up a charter regarding the independence of New Vegas."

Benny grinned now. "Personally, if you want to keep things off the record, seeing as how that holotape is still spinning away, I'd sign the treaty now. We might even give you the time before we let anyone speak if you wanted to read it over first. Only a sucker signs a document blind."

Lee pressed his palms together and steepled them under his chin. Severe in expression, with drawn brows and a deeper tone, he nodded, "Mmhm, that is true. Say, Benny, do you think it'll be Boone with Private Edwards first, you know, the one what got ghoulified by Legion down in Camp Searchlight and then left for dead by NCR, or Arcade with Ignacio, talking about how the NCR employed and paid a fool well for work I did on the down low, over at HELIOS One?"

"Oh, baby, it almost doesn't matter. In fact, that's just four people. I bet they could all fit in the elevator. That's nothing compared to the others."

"Yeah, I was thinking that myself. Just a few more floors before that door--"

Crocker put a hand up, "Wait, now you just wait a minute. You can't just go on the record saying unfounded things like that. What evidence do you even have?"

"Of NCR incompetence in the New Vegas region? Hoo, boy, that is a question I could fill tomes with answering." Lee leaned back in his chair. "I don't know though, I talk so much. I heard a ding, and here they come. I could ask them to stay away if you like. Limited time offer."

"Going once." Benny watched the sweat bead up along the General's creased forehead. "Going twice."

In walked Boone and Private Edwards beside him, who still wore his tags Lee hadn't had the heart to try for. Their boots were hard on the tiled floor. Boone stood grimly.

Private Edwards had a strange sort of giddiness to him. "General Oliver, sir." Old habits, apparently. Arm raised a crisp salute.

Old habits, the General saluted back. "I understand you're here to speak."

"Yessir."

"Well, spit it out."

The elevator door dinged and opened.

\---~~~---

The flash blinded, hot and white, for stretched out seconds. It left a film of brightness over everything he looked at when vision finally returned at a lazy crawl. He'd found an uninhabited house and hunkered in for the night, certain that in the morning he'd figure out what to do, that he'd report back to First Sergeant Astor.

Days dripped into weeks, just as his skin pulled and sloughed from his body. He could see it, along the bony knuckles of his fingers, bubbling along his arms and legs, and at his drooping face.

Radscorpions chittered about on their spindly legs. They seemed to know Edwards was there, and they hadn't left in the entire time that he'd been inside. He felt stuck, but he was determined to keep from the extreme radiation so he didn't turn out feral and murderous like his brothers and sisters in arms.

And then one day, someone knocked and then entered. "Hello? Anyone in here?" They wore a thick suit, with a glass helmet, and had a soft kind voice.

Edwards didn't reply at first, he kept to his defensive position in the kitchen, knife at the ready.

"Oh. Well, you're not attackin' like some a those others. Can I take that to mean you haven't lost hope yet?"

"Not being feral and having hope... Those don't go together like you think. You should leave."

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to intrude. It's just, Sergeant Astor out there is lookin' for you."

"W-what? I can't go out there!"

"Well, how come?"

"Are you blind? Look at me! I'm a ghoul, I can't serve like this. The NCR won't want me."

\---~~~---

"Now, hold on, Private Edwards, isn't it?" Crocker looked to the ghoul in question with no small amount of concern.

"Yeah."

"Good. You are aware of Ranger Station Echo where ghouls have served the NCR as Rangers for years, aren't you? It's not even that far from Camp Searchlight." He looked on at Edwards with sympathy, before he turned to Lee, with thin lips and a stern expression.

"No sir, I wasn't aware of that, beforehand." Private Edwards tugged at his collar, and a bit of skin pulled with it, then rolled back into place.

Ambassador Crocker barely restrained his expression of disgust. "And did this, Lee here, did he inform you of it?"

Benny tapped the table, "How was Lee supposed to know squat about it? This guy didn't even know about it!"

General Oliver laughed, though it was humorless. "And here, I thought Lee knew everything. It's so obvious, you're attempting to manipulate us with this sob story-- not that you didn't go through a lot," an aside to Edwards, before he returned his scathing look at Lee, "and you're failing. If we're supposed to feel bad that you didn't help him find a spot in the NCR or someone who could help him, we don't. You screwed the pooch on that one, kid, not us."

Lee blinked.

Cass smacked the table, "That's bullshit, and you know it's bullshit. His own fucking sergeant wanted him killed like a dog. He wanted those tags. He barely wanted to keep Edwards, and he sure as shit didn't know about this supposed ghoul haven up in the fuckin' irradiated boonies. That's on you, not us." One finger pointed and waved, and thankfully here she actually kept it to the index one. Flipping the General off hadn't gone so well last time.

Lee put a hand on Kyle Edwards’ shoulder and gently tapped him. "It's alright. They're wrong about that. Ghouls have a place."

"Save the showboating." The General stood once more, in an obvious attempt to lord over everyone else. "I won't be manipulated. We won't be manipulated. Turn this around all you want, you don't know how to lead, you just know how to make people feel good. A nation can't run on hugs and kind words."

"Well, you don't know how to lead, or make people feel good, so he's still miles ahead of you." Cass kicked back and her hand tapped against the chair armrest, clearly in need of a drink, maybe a smoke, and being anywhere but there. "How about you sit down and stop making yourself look even stupider. I've brought some friends here. And they're happy to see you, especially with how you all protected the Van Graffs and Crimson Caravan. We're all happy to see you." She cracked one hand's knuckles into the palm of the other, then switched and did it just the same.

Several caravan owners, small time ones by the looks of it, stared over at the General and Ambassador.

"What is this? City Hall? We're negotiating to sign a treaty, not discuss skyrocketing brahmin prices." But the General sat.

The elevator opened, and in walked Arcade with a darker-skinned man wearing a coat similar to Arcade's own. Benny knew from the file it was Ignacio, and he didn't even bother to hide the smirk. Between the two of them, Julie Farkas strode into the room.

Arcade waved at everyone assembled, "Sorry we're late. We stopped by the Followers’ to get some paperwork. It should prove interesting if we need to pull it out." He broke into a tight smile and nodded in the General's direction before he sat two seats down from Lee.

Behind the two, Ed-E floated and beeped, and then in stomped Lily and Marcus, all heavy boots and loud thuds.

A few of the construction workers walked in after, then the doors shut once more.

Marcus tipped his head at everyone assembled. "Good evening, everyone. It's pleasant to see you all. Don't mind us."

Lee motioned to some larger chairs, fitted just for the super mutant and nightkin in question. "Glad to see you could make it. Hope it wasn't too rough making the trip."

"Oh, pumpkin, don't you worry about grandma. She's tough!"

Benny did not laugh, but boy did he want to when panic-stricken expressions filled both faces. NCR bigwigs that they were, they still didn't seem to know what to do with all of this. "Whatever you were hoping for, you're not getting it." He leaned back in his chair and enjoyed the view from directly across the table.

In walked the King and his right-hand guy, Pacer, and after them Mick and Ralph. The Garret twins strode in a few moments later, discussing something quietly between each other.

There wasn't enough room at the table for everyone, but Benny pulled out a chair for the King, who sat down with a nod. "Benny."

"King."

Pacer huffed, but stood right behind the King, eyeing down the NCR men.

Lee pushed the parchment closer to them, once more. "The terms are not unreasonable. Your men and women can still come here, and still be disciplined by the NCR police instead of our forces. That we don't mind, though we reserve the right to ban anyone we choose."

"You--" Oliver.

Lee put a hand up, and continued, "Your NCR civilians cannot be kept from coming here and going there as they please. No real change there."

"Don't--" Crocker this time.

Lee stood, hand still up, "The NCR will be our ally, and we will be yours. You will get electricity from the dam, at a discount, but not free. However much you purchase, that's how much you'll get. Those we want protected will be protected so long as they remain in our borders, which Ignacio kindly mapped out for me there on page 7. Our borders, our rules."

He'd seen a tomato once. Benny figured that shade of red wasn't all that different from General Oliver's.

The General's shoulders slumped. "You don't know what you're doing. You have no idea how to run a country, how to pull together an army, how to--"

"You know, that's a super interesting point!" Veronica stepped forward with sprightly steps, "Did you know that Powder Gangers terrorized the town of Primm for, oh, how long was it again?" She looked back to two wrinkled old seniors, with tanned brown skin and deep folded skin creases around their everywhere.

"A whole month," the man, Nash as Benny recalled, spoke and nodded over to the woman, who nodded back. "Those Powder Gangsters shot and killed one of my couriers, a real decent fella, then killed a bunch more good folk who just wanted to eke out a living here."

"That's hardly our fault." The General.

Boone snorted. "So, when the NCR is a step away but has orders to 'wait and see', you really had nothing to do with it?"

Benny wasn't the only one who struggled to hold in the laugh.

Cass didn't bother, she hooted and slapped the table. "Face it, you're getting fucked. Might as well accept it and bend over like good boys."

Lee pushed over a shiny fountain pen, let it lay right over the top of the thick parchment. "You could sign it now, or wait. But that's it. I was willing to work with y'all, but I'm not now. Take it. Keep it. You've got a week to sign it."

"You'll turn into a despot, just like Caesar. He had good intentions too, and look at what a mess he made." The General held bite in those words, but his body had finally loosened. He finally seemed like the words had all sunken in.

Lee sighed. "No. I don't think I will. Because these good people, they're going to keep us all on track. No autocrats, no tyrants, no kings-- aside from the King, of course-- and no nonsense. We got people from every single town and city in this entire territory, and they're all willing to work with everyone here in New Vegas itself, to keep this country running right. We've got plans drafted. We're going to build an infrastructure, and we have all the workers we need to do it."

The Ambassador reached for the pen, "Nothing can be official until President Kimball signs this." But there his hand steadied forcefully and he signed his own name. "But I can see when we've been beaten."

The General shifted closer and took the pen as well. "Don't be surprised if things don't go your way for long."

"Yeah, that would be unfortunate for y'all if you tried something, but you're free to do whatever you like. It's just like the Kings say, there are consequences for everything." Lee smiled, though his eyes had that distant look to them again, like he was somewhere else, anywhere else.

"There are." The General put down the pen, and shook his head at everyone else, with a shifting gaze that bore into everyone. "We'll take this down to the embassy and see if he'll sign it."

"Well, I'm glad that's all settled then. Is there anything else we can do for you, while you're still here?" Lee was the picture of serenity and grace, ever the good host, now that they had cowed.

"Not a thing. Just maybe have those... have your company step aside while we take the ride down."

"Oh sure. Would y'all be ever so kind as to let these two fine gentlemen through? They've had a long few weeks, and I'm sure they're tired and ready to scoot on home."

"Weeks? It's been years." The General chuckled, "At least we'll finally be leaving." He let out a strong exhale, and stepped to Lee. "It's been a hell of a run. Good luck. You'll need it when everything goes to hell. You'll wish you'd let us have what we've earned."

Raul stepped in, with a balding man beside him and a tail wagging Rex in front. "Aw, boss, I didn't miss it did I? Well, Chris, that's what we get for taking that 'shortcut'."

"It wasn't my idea! You're the one who insisted. It's just my luck, I thought I'd be able to help out again, and nothing comes of it." 

The General shook his head, muttered something about 'savages', and somehow managed to keep his hand intact in Lee's handshake.

Moments later, Lee still stared ahead, hand held up like it was being shaken. Everyone around congratulated everyone on managing to get the NCR gone for now, but Lee just smiled and stared ahead.

"Looks like things went pretty smooth, but you're looking beat up. What can I do?" Benny stood and pulled out Lee's chair.

"I'm ready to go to sleep."

"It's barely noon."

"And I'm gonna retire too." Lee nodded and stepped out of the sleek chair and away from the table. "Gonna toss in the hat, metaphorically since I lost in that game, and I'm gonna just never touch adventures again."

"Oh, right. Yeah, I definitely believe that. You're not blowing smoke." Benny wanted to though. Not from stress, not this time. He just wanted to take a puff or two, an exhalation of the sigh he'd been holding in for hours.

"And then I'm gonna get fat. I'm gonna let myself go. Definitely."

"You're full of it."

"Not yet. Let's go get some lunch."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well.
> 
> If you've made it here, holy shit thanks! Please please comment if you want to, I eat those up.
> 
> I'm considering making a follow-up story where it focuses on each of the companions so I could fully explore how they relate to one another, but I'm uncertain if it should be for this series, or just its own standalone story. If I did it as a follow-up story, it would focus much less on Benny and Lee, and far more on people like, say, Veronica and Cass getting it on, and Arcade and Boone hanging out, and Raul being sassy and wonderful, and Lily making everyone a bit happier when she's around (and Leo isn't so around.)
> 
> If you have thoughts on that idea, please let me know!

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed this! There's lots more to come as things start to heat up in the Mojave.


End file.
